As a transformational educational leader and former New York City Department of Education master trainer that supported thousands of staff, students, and families in over 1,000 schools and 30 districts for over three decades, Denise Olivera Schira served in leadership roles as teacher, coach, school administrator, deputy network leader, central director, and assistant superintendent. As a recent retiree and founder of a wellness company, she continues to support and impact communities promoting mental and physical wellbeing and positive culture and climate as a social emotional learning expert and certified mindfulness, yoga, somatic movement, restorative practices, and crisis de-escalation specialist, practitioner, master trainer, and public speaker offering wellness sessions to schools, districts, institutions, and communities to help bring them from chaos to calm.
Ms. Schira has served as Board Director and Chair on multiple renowned city, state, and national executive boards, including currently on the national Coalition of Schools Educating Mindfully and the New York Academy of Public Education, and for over a decade, as the elected board representative for the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Latino Caucus, Education Administrators Association, and the New York State Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, which she co-founded and served as Vice President and NYC Regional Director. In addition to currently serving as mentor and trainer for the Executive Leadership Institute, Denise serves on the national Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents Professional Growth and Learning Committee. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University as a Cornell Tradition Four-Year Scholarship Fellow, and later obtained a Master of Science in Educational Leadership at Bank Street College of Education.
Denise’s diverse life experiences include being a published author (Latina Radiance: Love Letters to the Soul and Latinx Radiance: Leadership Recipes for Success, and Empire of Radiance: Unity and Triumph) and curriculum contributor (NYC Life Space Crisis Intervention and Wildlife Conservation Society Science Activities for Children), an actor (Yo Soy Latina) and flamenco dancer, and breast cancer survivor and recovery provider (Moving for Life Dance Exercise for Health). She has been recognized and honored by various organizations for her excellence in educational leadership and outstanding service, but her greatest inspirations are her two sons raising their own children and her soul mate of over four decades with his unwavering support of her personal and professional aspirations to impact the lives of others.