Executive Director:

Nancy Villarreal De Adler

Nancy Villarreal de Adler
Executive Director

Nancy Villarreal de Adler, Past President (1994-95) of the NYS Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE) assumed the position of Executive Director for the organization on September 1, 2008, after having served as Executive Director of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), and in the field of education for almost 34 years.

Nancy is a proud graduate of the Instituto Pedagógico Nacional de Mujeres-Monterrico, Lima, Peru (formerly known as Escuela Normal de Mujeres “San Pedro”). It was here where Nancy forged her vision and a solid sense of mission as an educator. Through the guidance and support of her parents, dedicated teachers, friends, and classmates, Nancy formed clear notions of equitable education, social responsibility, educational leadership, and justice, which laid the foundation for her advocacy work on behalf of the educational rights of bilingual learners in the USA and in Peru.

Thanks to scholarships and Fulbright fellowships, Nancy was able to come to the USA to pursue post graduate studies at Syracuse University and St. John’s University. She initiated her career at Seymour School in Syracuse, NY, as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. As the Syracuse School District developed its Bilingual Education Program in 1972, Nancy became the first bilingual teacher in Syracuse. With the growth of the program, Nancy became a staff developer, curriculum specialist, and coordinator of ESL/Bilingual Education Services for the Syracuse School District.

When she married Jack Adler and moved to New York City in 1985, Nancy re-initiated her career, first as a teacher/coordinator of bilingual education services for incarcerated youth at the Harlem Valley Center, NYS Division for Youth. She then joined the NYC Board of Education (NYCBOE), beginning as a bilingual teacher and staff developer in District 19 and later with the Division of Special Education, as its Coordinator of Title VII Projects. Her administrative experiences in the NYCBOE also include Director of Magnet School Programs, District One; and Director of the Office of Bilingual Special Education Services-Citywide Programs.

In all of these positions, Nancy focused on professional development projects, such as the Special Education Academy, that would seek to empower teachers, clinicians, support personnel, administrators, parents/families, and community members to ensure the best educational experiences for all multilingual learners. As a life-long learner, she also continued her own professional growth by participating in numerous institutes and professional development programs such as the Harvard University Summer Program on Multiple Intelligences, and the Institute for Educational Leadership.

Nancy’s commitment to the education of all youngsters can be summarized in her own words: “I have the audacity to compel educators to be the best advocates for the educational rights of all children and to leave a legacy that demonstrates their sense of mission, solidarity, and a profound commitment to make a difference in the lives of all people beyond boundaries.”