Teachers College has elected Christina M. Capodilupo Schwefel (Ed.M. & Ph.D. ’09), Dennis Holtschneider and Tom Rogers (Ed.D. ’05, M.A. ’02) to its Board of Trustees.
“Christina, Dennis and Tom have achieved great professional success while demonstrating a profound commitment to the well-being of society through their work across mental health, higher education and K-12 schools,” said President Thomas Bailey of the new members, who were appointed throughout 2024. “Their credentials, along with their devotion to Teachers College, uniquely qualify them as leaders of our esteemed institution, and we are proud to welcome them to the Board.”
“The Board’s newest members are alumni and friends who care deeply about the Teachers College community and the future of the school,” said Leslie Morse Nelson, Chair of the Board. “The experience and expertise they bring will strengthen our collective work on the Board of Trustees to support TC’s continued success.”
(Photo courtesy of Schwefel)
Christina M. Capodilupo Schwefel (Ed.M. & Ph.D. ’09) is a graduate of and adjunct faculty member in the College’s Counseling Psychology program. She currently serves as a consultant for several private practices in the Boston area and acts as a supervisor of clinical practice for students in the doctoral program at TC. Previously an assistant professor at the University of Hartford, Schwefel has authored numerous publications and presentations that focus on research topics such as body image, eating disorders and microaggressions. She has consulted with academic institutions across the country regarding their policies on gender and race.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Schwefel is the founder of Forme Barre, a boutique fitness company that she operated for over 12 years before selling the company in 2022. In addition to Teachers College, she is an alumna of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the College of the Holy Cross. She is an engaged supporter of youth hockey and a member of the Corporation of the Winsor School.
(Photo courtesy of Holtschneider)
Dennis Holtschneider is a consultant with Nygren Consulting, where he works with executive and governance leaders on matters of strategy, organizational change and leadership development. He previously served as president of both the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, and DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the nation, from 2004 to 2017. Holtschneider also served as executive vice president of his alma mater, Niagara University; clinical associate professor of higher education at SUNY Buffalo; and assistant professor of higher education at St. John's University, in addition to lecturing at Harvard University. He also held leadership positions with Ascension Health, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system.
Holtschneider is co-founder of the Institute of Global Homeless (IGH) which assists cities on six continents in addressing street homelessness and is the primary advisory to the United Nations on this topic. He has served on numerous boards, including the St. Louis Symphony, where he led its strategy committee. His doctorate in higher education policy is from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education.
(Photo courtesy of Rogers)
Tom Rogers (Ed.D. ’05, M.A. ’02) is the superintendent of the Syosset school district. Under Rogers’ leadership of more than 10 years, Syosset has won numerous accolades for its performance and inclusivity. Rogers previously served in a dual role as the district superintendent for Nassau County and CEO of Nassau BOCES after leading the New York State Council of School Superintendents, an education policy advocacy organization supporting senior school administrators, as its executive director.
Rogers is a graduate of Teachers College’s Educational Administration program and the University of Buffalo. His philanthropic work includes service on the Board of Trustees of the Rauch Foundation and he has served on numerous boards including the Long Island Children’s Museum Board (Vice-Chair), the Teachers College President’s Advisory Council, the Middle States Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, and the Long Island Arts Alliance. His wife, Lisa Mulhall, is also a TC alum (M.A. ’99, Ed.D. ’05), and they credit the College with steering them into their careers and toward each other.
(Photo: TC Archives)
Nancy K. Simpkins Elected Trustee Emerita
The Board of Trustees elected Nancy K. Simpkins as Trustee Emerita after 12 years of service this spring. Since 1989, she has served as an advisor to the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership, the first university-based center dedicated to preparing independent school teachers and administrators — established in 1977 by Simpkins’ parents, the late John and Patricia Klingenstein.
“I love the Klingenstein Center, and I’ve never met a graduate who didn’t feel it had improved her professional or educational life,” Simpkins once said.
Simpkins joins 16 others as Emeriti Trustees.“We’re extraordinarily grateful to Nancy for her many years of thoughtful and dedicated service on the Board,” said Leslie Morse Nelson, Chair of the Board. “We have all benefited greatly from her passion for education and TC’s community.”