Monique Darrisaw Akil

Monique Darrisaw-Akil is the Superintendent of Schools in the Uniondale Union Free School District in Uniondale, New York. She was most recently served as the Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, Programs and Policy at the Brentwood School District. She is also the founding principal of the Academy of Urban Planning High School in Brooklyn. Dr. Darrisaw-Akil has over 27 years of experience in public education, 22 of which were in New York City public schools. Dr. Darrisaw-Akil is an experienced leadership coach, curriculum writer, consultant, staff developer and workshop presenter. Her work’s focus has been on promoting equity through providing a high-quality education to all students. Dr. Darrisaw- Akil has developed Middle School Literacy Initiatives, College Application Bootcamps, and implemented Restorative Justice programs in school districts in which she worked. Additionally, she has implemented student-centered programs as the Girls, Inc. leadership program, the Friendship Club which promotes friendship between special needs students and their general education peers and as she also established a regionally recognized My Brother’s Keeper program which provides mentoring, college and career support and leadership development for young men of color. Dr. Darrisaw-Akil earned a B.A. and M.A. from Brooklyn College, CUNY and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, Management and Policy from Seton Hall University. She is a Trustee for the SUNY Old Westbury Foundation, a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Long Island and a “Big” with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Long Island. She has been a featured speaker for organizations such as the Urban League of Long Island, Coalition of Educating Boys of Color, and the Nation Alliance of Black School Educators. She has also been a guest on NPR discussing restorative justice, and has been featured in publications such as Newsday, New York Daily News and US News and World Report.

Publications

Women in School Leadership in India and the United States: Realities, Complexities, and Future Directions
Women in School Leadership in India and the United States: Realities, Complexities, and Future Directions
Adity Saxena, Monique Darrisaw Akil, Pavani Ayinampudi. © 2023. 23 pages.
Women's representation in school leadership positions in India, and of Black women in the United States, remains unexplored. This chapter addresses the realities and...