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With less than a month until Zohran Mamdani takes office, he has yet to reveal one of his biggest personnel decisions: the leader of the nation’s biggest school system.
Hiring a schools chancellor will be his first major education test and could signal how he hopes to shape the city’s public schools over the next four years — a topic he largely avoided on the campaign trail.
The mayor-elect indicated he is open to keeping current Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. But he has offered few other clues about who is on his short list, and it is unclear how close he is to a decision. Earlier this week, Mamdani’s team solicited suggestions for major appointees from its education transition committee, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the communications.
Mamdani’s team has kept a tight lid on the selection process, instructing transition committee members this week to avoid talking to reporters — a contrast with his promise to share his power over the school system with families and educators. Some advocates have called on Mamdani to create an inclusive chancellor selection process in the coming months. For now, the mayor-elect has little time to weigh feedback before taking office.
“It would be hard to run a big public process in the time they’ve had,” said Evan Stone, the CEO of Educators for Excellence, a teacher advocacy group. Once he has made a choice, Stone added, “there is still a great opportunity to engage families on what the priorities of the chancellor are.”
As the leadership transition nears, several names have repeatedly surfaced as possible contenders, though his transition team has not confirmed who is under consideration. If history is any guide, the final choice could be a surprise. Here’s what you should know about the people rumored to be in the running.
Melissa Aviles-Ramos
Who she is: Aviles-Ramos has been chancellor for a little more than a year, taking over from David Banks after he abruptly stepped down. She’s been at the city’s Education Department for nearly two decades, working her way up as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in the Bronx. She also served as Banks’ chief of staff.
What she has going for her: She has the backing of the city’s influential teachers union, which endorsed Mamdani in the general election. Some parent leaders are in her corner, too, as she has rolled out some initiatives to bolster family engagement. Top officials have previously leaned on her in moments of crisis: Before she was named chancellor, she was tapped to manage the Education Department’s response to the massive influx of migrants into city schools.
Complicating factors: Aviles-Ramos has largely been responsible for keeping Mayor Eric Adams’ education initiatives on track and hasn’t executed a detailed policy agenda of her own. Given the union’s strong backing, some wonder if she would not be independent enough. Her connection to Adams, who ultimately dropped his bid for reelection amid swirling corruption scandals, could also be a liability. And while no mayor has appointed their predecessor’s schools chief, Mamdani kept Adams’ police commissioner, demonstrating he is willing to retain high-level staff.
What she says: Aviles-Ramos has not directly said whether she is in touch with Mamdani’s team. But she signaled in a recent television interview that she is interested in staying. “He is open to considering commissioners, sitting commissioners, if they’ve done good work, and my name was mentioned,” Aviles-Ramos said.
Meisha Ross Porter
Who she is: A more than 20-year veteran of the Education Department who worked her way up in the Bronx as a teacher, principal, and high-level administrator. She served as chancellor under Mayor Bill de Blasio for less than a year, beginning in March 2021, overseeing the city’s plans to fully reopen school buildings and convince students to show up after some spent more than a year learning remotely. Porter now serves as a visiting senior fellow at the Center for Educational Innovation, an organization that works with school leaders and families, according to her LinkedIn profile.
What she has going for her: She is widely considered to be a staunch advocate of equity in education, was the first Black woman to lead the system, and is respected by many educators and department staffers. Porter is already deeply familiar with the system and oversaw an effort to overhaul gifted programs, an idea that Adams scrapped but Mamdani has indicated he’s interested in pursuing. The mayor-elect has shown an interest in recruiting top officials from the de Blasio administration.
Complicating factors: After leaving the Education Department, Porter had a rocky stint running the Bronx Community Foundation that raised questions about her leadership. The organization failed to distribute most of the money it raised, according to an investigation by the news organization New York Focus, and the organization’s board of directors ultimately fired Porter. She was recently considered a finalist to run Chicago’s school system, though that search process has appeared to stall.
What she says: Did not respond to a request for comment.
Angélica Infante-Green
Who she is: Infante-Green is Rhode Island’s education commissioner, and she has a long track record in New York. She served as a deputy commissioner in New York State’s Education Department, spearheading the state’s school integration plans. Before that, she oversaw New York City’s efforts to serve English language learners and expanded bilingual and dual language programs. She’s an alumna of Teach for America and worked in multiple Manhattan schools.
What she has going for her: She has extensive knowledge of the city and state education bureaucracies and would need little time getting up to speed. A daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Infante-Green has focused on vulnerable children, including English learners and students with disabilities, groups that Mamdani has indicated will be a focus of his administration. In Rhode Island, Infante-Green helped oversee the state’s strategy to reduce chronic absenteeism in the wake of the pandemic, a model that is paying off and earned national attention.
Complicating factors: Infante-Green was involved in contentious contract negotiations with the Providence Teachers Union, which passed a vote of no confidence in her and the local superintendent. Mamdani has cultivated a close relationship with the city’s teachers union, and has said he will consult union leaders on his chancellor pick. And Mamdani criticized charter schools, which Infante-Green supported in Rhode Island.
What she says: Did not respond to a request for comment.
Who else?
Several other candidates have been rumored to be in the mix. Kamar Samuels, the superintendent of Manhattan’s District 3, was floated as a possible candidate, according to the New York Times. He has previously spearheaded school mergers with an eye toward integration. Moves like that could be appealing to Mamdani as the city grapples with a glut of small schools, and the mayor-elect has signaled he is interested in school integration efforts. (Samuels did not respond to a request for comment)
Alex Marrero, the current superintendent of Denver Public Schools, may be eyeing the job. He has roots in New York as a principal in the Bronx and later in administrative roles in New Rochelle and East Ramapo. He was reportedly a finalist to lead Chicago Public Schools, a job he indicated he would not accept.
In a statement, Marrero said he has “not spoken to anyone from the Mayor-Elect’s team.” He added: “While my ties to New York and its communities run deep, as a matter of respectful practice, I do not speculate on these matters and continue to concentrate my attention and efforts on DPS.”
Alexendra Estrella, the superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools in Connecticut, has also been floated. She previously served as the superintendent in Manhattan’s District 4, which includes East Harlem. Her tenure as superintendent included some tensions with families and teachers. (She did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Rita Joseph, a long-time Brooklyn teacher and chair of New York City Council’s education committee, has also been rumored but has no high-level administrative experience in a school system. (Her spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.)
Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.
