Board of Trustees

Meet Our Board of Trustees

The Corlears Board of Trustees is made up of parents, alumni, and community leaders who bring diverse expertise and a shared commitment to guiding our school forward. Learn more about our board members below.

Meet our trustees below, sorted alphabetically by last name.

David Amar Member at Large

David is a business and military leader with experience in finance, strategy, and organizational leadership, including nearly a decade at Bank of Montreal and current service as an Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer with the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He and his wife are parents of three current and former Corlears students.

Savita Bharadwa Vice ChairSavita has been part of the Corlears community for nearly a decade as a parent, and after years on the board, is now serving on the Board's Executive Committee. She works in public education strategy and policy, having previously held leadership roles at the NYC Department of Education and Newark Public Schools.

André Del Valle Member at LargeAndré is an educator with a deep belief in the potential of every student, having built his reputation as Head of School at George Jackson Academy and later leading the Middle School at Poly Prep Country Day. He is now the Head of School of Mary McDowell Friends School in Brooklyn, and is the father of two girls.

Drew Dluzniewski Treasurer & Finance Committee ChairDrew is the proud father of a former Corlears student and a lifelong New Yorker who lives in the Corlears neighborhood. He has worked more than 15 years in finance, including time at big banks, hedge funds, and broker-dealers, and is currently self-employed managing family investments, including a 1 Michelin-starred restaurant.

Brendan Harney Member at LargeBrendan is a Corlears alumnus, now entering his 12th year with NYC Public Schools, where he leads the science department at the Bronx Lab School. He brings a full-circle perspective to the Board, remaining deeply engaged in the values of curiosity and play he first experienced at Corlears.

Darsha King Member at LargeDarsha is the mother of three girls who have all attended Corlears, and has been part of the community for a decade. Before becoming a trustee, she volunteered as a class chaperone and admissions tour guide. Darsha is an Operations Analyst at Sculptor Capital Management.

John-Paul (JP) Munfa Member at LargeJP is a Senior Managing Director in Blackstone's Private Equity Group, where he focuses on energy transition and climate solutions investments, and holds degrees from Harvard College and Stanford Graduate School of Business. JP's three children have all attended Corlears, with his youngest entering PreK this year.

Jennifer O'Neil Member at LargeJennifer's son started at Corlears in the 2s program, and her family has come to deeply value the school's warmth, inclusivity, and focus on early childhood education. She is a finance and strategy executive who spent the last decade at BlackRock, most recently as Global Head of Corporate Strategy, after beginning her career as a restructuring lawyer at Jones Day.

Hemangi Pai Equity & Inclusion Committee ChairHemangi is a Supervising Attorney in the Criminal Defense Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services, with a career spanning public defense, family court, and adjunct teaching. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter, who graduated from Corlears in 2026, and previously co-chaired the Parents of Students of Color Association and the Families Association.

Elena Palatnik OfficerElena is a parent of two former Corlears students, and is a member of the Finance Committee, utilizing her experience in investment banking. She brings a strong commitment to multiculturalism, having been raised across Russia, Norway, and London before moving to New York.

Renée Reid-Nicholson Member at LargeRenée and her family, including three children who have all attended Corlears, have been part of the community since 2014, and she previously served on the Board from 2017 to last year, including a stint as Corlears’ Admissions Director. She and her husband live in Brooklyn.

Deepti Shenoy Secretary & Governance Committee ChairDeepti’s has been part of the Corlears community since 2020. She had previously served in the Families Association helping organize community service and fundraising initiatives, and her child graduated from Corlears in 2026. She holds a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and practices matrimonial and family law after three years as in-house counsel at JPMorgan Chase.

Mansi Vasa Member at LargeMansi is Corlears’ former Assistant Head of School and parent of two former Corlears students. She brings more than 20 years of experience as an educator and leader, and currently serves as Director of Children and Family Learning at the American Museum of Natural History.

Sarah Watson Officer & Advancement ChairSarah has been part of the Corlears community for nearly 10 years, joined the Board in 2019, and chairs the Advancement Committee. Her two children graduated from Corlears. Sarah spent a decade at BBH New York, most recently as Chairman, before becoming an executive coach.

Brandon Weber Board Chair & Audit Committee ChairBrandon has twin daughters who graduated from Corlears, and joined the Board of Trustees in April 2015, going on to serve as Treasurer before becoming Board Chair. He is originally from Kansas City, serves as a Trustee of his alma mater, Bard College, and works as an analyst in the financial sector.

Meet Our Board of Trustees

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