Dr. Katiana Louissaint is an educator in the New York City Public School System with over 20 years of experience, primarily in secondary school settings. She has served as a teacher,  instructional coach, assistant principal and currently the principal at The New Preparatory  Middle School 8 in South Jamaica, Queens. Dr. Katiana Louissaint migrated to the United States  from Port-au-Prince, Haiti at the age of seven where she settled in her hometown of Queens  Village, New York. Raised by a single mother, Dr. Louissaint knew at a young age, education  was the key to all possibilities. She is a graduate of Adelphi University in Garden City, New  York where she obtained her B.S in Education with a concentration in Psychology and her M.S.  in Special Education. She went on to earn her Educational Administration and Supervision  certificate from the College of Saint Rose. With a passion for learning, in December 2019 she  earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Sage College of Albany. As a former  English Language learner and a principled warrior, she is committed to fighting for all children  to have access to a formidable education. Dr. Louissaint has devoted her work in building a  culturally proficient school environment where all cultures are welcomed, nurtured, and  supported. Through innovative educational programming and collaboration with staff, families,  and community, Dr. Louissaint has challenged and supported young people as they transition from childhood to adolescence. Her experiences encompass her ability to ensure student  achievement and develop teacher pedagogy while supporting teachers in their quest to become  highly effective practitioners. She is committed to fostering a culture of equity and excellence  whereby every child learns, grows, achieves, and becomes critical thinkers and ambassadors of  their own learning.