“I moved to The Bronx when I was 16 years old, became a youth organizer and led the team that founded The Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice. The Bronx is my home and where I spent the majority of my professional career. In The Bronx I learned so much about what it meant to be part of a community and the importance of including the voices of those we serve as a part of the decision making process is how we ensure change is real and impactful.”
Dr. Meisha Porter is The Bronx Community Foundation’s inaugural President and CEO. Meisha previously held the position of Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the nation. She was responsible for educating 1.1 million students in over 1,800 schools. Prior to taking on the role as Chancellor she served as The Bronx Executive Superintendent where she was deeply invested in sharpening school leaders’ equity lens and building collaborative practices across schools.
She also served as the Superintendent for Community School District #11 and Principal of The Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice(LGJ). During her tenure at LGJ, Meisha served as Community Coordinator, Internship Coordinator, and taught English before becoming an Assistant Principal and then taking the helm as Principal in 2004. Having worked her way up through the ranks, she is exceedingly aware of the challenges city schools and communities face and has dedicated her life to improving the learning environment for all students.