Held on November 16, 2016
Sara Rowbottom, Senior Technical Advisor, Education & Youth at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), highlights issues relevant to educating refugees, providing information on IRC’s educational programs, and discussing the IRC Refugee Youth Summer Academy, a six-week program designed to transition newly arrived refugees into New York schools. Moderated by Dr. Kathleen Landy, former Director of Queensborough Community College's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).
Sara Rowbottom is the Senior Technical Advisor, Education & Youth at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in New York, overseeing a comprehensive continuum of services designed to meet the educational needs of children, youth, and adults fleeing conflict and crisis and resettling in New York City. Among the programs under her direction are a six-week Refugee Youth Summer Academy to prepare newly arrived students for success in NYC public schools, individualized coaching and support for families of newly arrived children and youth, and Cultural Orientation, English as a New Language, and Citizenship test preparation for adults. With more than a decade working in the international development and humanitarian assistance fields, and eight years with the IRC, Ms. Rowbottom possesses expertise in program design, implementation, and monitoring, as well as financial and technical assistance for mutual assistance organizations, and community assessment. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University and a Masters of International Affairs from The New School.
Dr. Kathleen Landy is the former Director of Queensborough’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), which fosters pedagogical innovation and effectiveness, and provides environments for faculty to come together to share teaching experiences and expertise. After graduating from SUNY Geneseo, Dr. Landy earned her M.S. in Teaching from Fordham University. In 2013, Dr. Landy completed her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy, also from Fordham University. Dr. Landy taught both middle school math and secondary English prior to becoming a professional development provider (for K-12 teachers and administrators), which allowed her to focus on her passion for instructional design, educational technology, and pedagogy.
Upon completing her doctorate and working as an Adjunct Professor for Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education, Dr. Landy transitioned to faculty development in higher education and became the Associate Director of High-Impact Practices at Mercy College. Through Mercy’s Faculty Center for Teaching & Learning, Dr. Landy excelled at designing development opportunities for the faculty and coordinating efforts to pilot and scale high-impact learning experiences for students. Dr. Landy’s grounding in learning theory, her considerable classroom experience, and the insights gained through years of working with educators inform her commitment to a collaborative approach to reflective instructional practice.
Article: “In New York, With 6 Weeks to Adapt to America,” New York Times, 2012: