Leadership Team
Susan H. Shapiro
Co-Director
Susan H. Shapiro is Co-Director of the New DEEL (Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership) Community Network. Susan H. Shapiro is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Special Education at Touro Graduate School of Education. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in child psychology from the New School, Eugene Lang College; a Master's degree from Bank Street College of Education; and her Doctorate from the Steinhardt School at New York University in Educational Leadership. She has led early childhood programs and inclusion programs for the past 25 years. She has also been an advocate for early childhood education policy and has authored articles on crisis, ethical leadership and compassion. She is the author of a new book Interpreting COVID-19 Through Turbulence Theory Perspectives and Cases from Early Childhood and Special Education.
Kevin A. Peters
Co-Director
Kevin A. Peters is a middle school principal in the Dallastown Area School District (Pennsylvania). He is Co-Director of the New DEEL (Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership) Community Network. He also serves as a Coordinator of the New DEEL Mentoring Project. He is passionate about mentoring and has worked with educational administrators and school teams throughout the United States. Dr. Peters has published articles on mentoring and presented his work at several state, national, and international conferences. He also served on various state committees such as the Pennsylvania Governor’s Safety Task Force, the development of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth of Education Blueprint, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) study group, and the board of the Pennsylvania Principals Association. His previous professional experience includes serving as an elementary principal (K-6), special education instructional advisor (K-12), and emotional support teacher. Dr. Peters earned his undergraduate degree from York College of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in special education from McDaniel College, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Temple University.
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Joan Poliner Shapiro
Emerita Co-Director
Joan Poliner Shapiro is Emerita Professor of Educational Leadership at Temple University’s College of Education and Emerita Co-Director of the New DEEL (Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership) Community Network. At Temple, she previously served as an Associate Dean for Research and Development, President of Temple University’s Faculty Senate, and as the Chair of her department. She also has been the Co-Director of the Women’s Studies Program and a Supervisor of Intern Teachers at the University of Pennsylvania. She began her career teaching middle school and high school in the United States and the United Kingdom. Dr. Shapiro received her undergraduate degree from Simmons College, obtained a masters’ degree in social science and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a postdoctoral year carrying out research focused on program evaluation and curriculum development at the University of London’s Institute of Education. Her writings primarily have dealt with ethical, gender, multicultural and accountability issues in education. She has co-authored the books Reframing Diversity in Education (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002), Gender in Urban Education (Heinemann, 2004), Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education (Routledge, 2021, 5th edn.), and Ethical Educational Leadership in Turbulent Times (Routledge, 2013, 2nd ed.). She has written over 60 articles in refereed journals and edited books. Additionally Dr. Shapiro has received the following awards: the Outstanding Teacher’s Award from Temple’s College of Education in 2004; the Willower Award of Excellence for her co-authored book on professional ethics in 2006; the Lindback Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award in 2008; the University Council of Educational Administration’s Master Professor Award in 2009; the Author of the Month, Routledge Publishers, July, 2010 & 2012; and Temple’s Great Teacher Award in 2011
Steven Jay Gross
Emeritus Co-Director
Steven Jay Gross is Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership at Temple University and Founding Director of the New DEEL (Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership). His work focuses on initiating and sustaining democratic reform and Turbulence Theory. His books include: Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership (2016) (co-authored with Joan Poliner Shapiro), The Handbook on Ethical Educational Leadership (2014) (co-edited with Christopher Branson), Ethical Educational Leadership in Turbulent Times (with Joan Poliner Shapiro) (2013 2nd edition), Leadership Mentoring (2006), Promises Kept: Sustaining School and District Leadership in a Turbulent Era (2004) and Staying Centered: Curriculum Leadership in a Turbulent Era (1998). Gross has been a Distinguished Visiting Research Scholar (Australian Catholic University). He received the Willower Award for Excellence (Consortium for the Study of Leadership and Ethics in Education), the University Council for Educational Administration’s Master Professor Award, was named an honorary member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, and is a member of the Horace Mann League. Gross was also named Author of the Month by Routledge Publishers. Prior to his faculty position at Temple Gross served as Associate Professor at Trinity College of Vermont, Chief of Curriculum and Instruction at the Vermont State Department of Education, Curriculum and Staff Development Director at the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union, and Social Studies Teacher at the YMCA’s Penn Center Academy in Philadelphia. Dr. Gross earned his undergraduate degree in history at Temple University, a masters’ degree in modern Chinese history at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, a doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Klingenstein fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University. Gross also studied Mandarin Chinese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His latest book is: Applying Turbulence Theory to Educational Leadership in Challenging Times-A Case-Based Approach (Routledge, 2020).
Taryn Conroy
Co-Coordinator of Community Engagement
Taryn J. Conroy, Ed.D is a school counselor and serves on her school’s administration team. She is the Coordinator of Community Engagement for the New DEEL (Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership) Community Network. Dr. Conroy’s work focuses on ethical educational leadership, particularly educational leaders working from an ethic of care. She has presented her work at a number of national conferences. Dr. Conroy received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Towson University, a master’s degree in counselor education from West Chester University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Cabrini University. She was awarded the Paul Begley award at CSLEE’s Values and Leadership Conference (2019) for her contribution to the field of ethics, values, and leadership education.
Jennifer Antoni
Co-Coordinator of Community Engagement
Jennifer Antoni, Ed. D serves as the Director of Counseling and Assessment for the Ewing Public Schools. Additionally, Jennifer serves as affiliate faculty at Eastern University and an Associate Adjunct professor at Temple University. She holds an Ed.D in Educational Leadership and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Human Services. She has worked for twenty years in an urban, public school setting assisting students with navigating high school graduation and beyond. Her main research interest centers around the way educational leadership responses influence student decision making regarding the attainment of a high school diploma and chronic absenteeism.