The NEW Director of Equity, K-12 Curriculum and Instruction for Nyack Public Schools was appointed at the February 4 BOE meeting.
NYACK PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW DIRECTOR OF EQUITY, K-12 CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2-5-25 (NYACK, NY) - After a comprehensive search and extensive interview process with nearly fifty applications reviewed, Dr. Lizzette Ruiz-Giovinazzi, Superintendent for Nyack Public Schools, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Audrey Brutus as the district’s new Director of Equity, K-12 Curriculum and Instruction. At the February 4, 2025 Board of Ed Meeting, Dr. Brutus was unanimously appointed and will begin her tenure in the district, effective March 17, 2025.
The interview committee was composed of representatives from district administration, staff, parent/guardian and stakeholders in the community. The district would like to acknowledge that the committee’s commitment and keen insight throughout the process was vital in finding the right person for this unique position, which is core to the mission and vision of Nyack Public Schools.
Dr. Audrey Brutus is an educator, psychologist, and equity groundbreaker. She has dedicated her expansive career to ensuring all students have access to transformative learning experiences. Throughout the past twenty years, Dr. Brutus has demonstrated commitment to dismantling systemic barriers, fostering inclusive educational spaces, and ensuring that all students thrive. She has directed her energy and expertise to initiatives that have expanded access to mental health services, strengthened school-community partnerships, family engagement, and provided high-quality enrichment opportunities for students with particular dedication to multilingual learners, neurodivergent learners and students of color. Dr. Brutus' personal journey is deeply connected to her professional mission: “As a daughter of Haitian immigrants who arrived in the United States in the 1970s, my personal journey is deeply connected to my professional mission. My parents instilled in me the belief that education was the key to opportunity, resilience, and empowerment.”
Dr. Brutus began her career in the NYC Department of Education’s Psychology-in-Training program before serving as a school psychologist in both New York City and Rockland County for over a decade. In 2018, she joined Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES as a Culturally Responsive Education Specialist, where she provided training with a focus on equity, cultural responsiveness, and addressing disproportionality in student outcomes. She has worked with school leaders across the region to disrupt systemic barriers, create more inclusive learning environments and implement policies that promote educational justice. She most recently served as Supervisor of English as a New Language and Dual Language Programs; then Supervisor of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Community Engagement in the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns.
Dr. Brutus completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at Pace University, earning a doctorate in psychology and becoming a licensed bilingual school-clinical psychologist. Her doctoral project focused on mental health within the Haitian community, addressing the unique cultural stigmas and systemic barriers that impact access to care. This research deepened her commitment to ensuring that schools serve as safe, affirming spaces where all students receive the academic and social support needed for success.
It is with immense enthusiasm that Dr. Brutus is welcomed into our school community and the long trajectory of fundamental work towards equity envisioned in Nyack Public Schools more than twenty years ago. “We are beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to have Dr. Brutus join our team! She will be instrumental in developing this new role and building on a culture of love in Nyack Public Schools.” (Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi)
