Our people

Meet the leadership team.

Our people define our success. We are passionate and committed to delivering high-quality services to schools, students, and families across New York and beyond.

Leadership

Dr. Michael Kohlhagen

CEO & President

Dr. Michael Kohlhagen is the Chief Executive Officer of CEI. He has served as Vice President and Executive Director of the Center for Educational Innovation since August 2015.

In his first four years at CEI, Dr. Kohlhagen served as Director of Education and School Improvement Specialist, working with a team of educators who continue to have significant impact on the lives of New York City students.

He came to CEI as a seasoned Superintendent of Schools with deep experience leading large districts — including Wethersfield, CT; Port Chester, NY; and Hartford Public Schools — and was a founding partner of the Southern Westchester Collaborative High School. Across nearly three decades in education, his focus has been ensuring the success of all students from pre-K to 12.

Jeff Brisard

Chief of Staff

Jeff Brisard serves as Chief of Staff at the Center for Educational Innovation, where he works closely with senior leadership to guide organizational priorities and ensure smooth day-to-day operations.

He coordinates projects across CEI's program areas, supports strategic planning, and strengthens the internal systems that help CEI deliver high-quality services to schools and communities. His work helps CEI's teams stay aligned and focused on empowering educators, engaging families, and improving outcomes for students.

Cindy Lopez

Chief Program Officer

Cindy V. Lopez is a trailblazing educator and former Superintendent of the Charter School of Educational Excellence (CSEE) in Yonkers, NY. Born to immigrant parents and shaped by 17 years in Brazil, she brings a multicultural perspective to her lifelong commitment to equity and excellence in education.

Beginning as a 4th-grade teacher in 2007, she rose to become CSEE's founding Superintendent, expanding the school to a full K–12 program and overseeing construction of a new high school campus while earning repeated recognition for closing achievement gaps.

Her leadership emphasizes innovation, community engagement, and collaboration with families. She holds multiple master's degrees and an honorary doctorate, and has been honored as Educator of the Year, Phi Delta Kappa Principal of the Year, and recipient of the Visionary of Hope Award.

Dr. Meisha Porter

Visiting Senior Fellow

Dr. Meisha Porter leads the development of CEI Bronx and its Innovation Center, advancing future-ready learning and impactful reforms for students and educators in the borough.

A lifelong Bronx resident and trailblazer, she most recently served as the inaugural President & CEO of The Bronx Community Foundation. Previously, she made history as the first Black woman Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, overseeing 1.1 million students across 1,800 schools.

Her career began as a youth organizer and teacher, ultimately founding and leading The Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice before serving as Superintendent of District 11 and Executive Superintendent for the Bronx. She holds degrees from Hunter, Mercy, and Fordham.

Tom Davis

Senior Director for Business Development

Tom brings over 30 years of experience in the public/private K-12 education sector. His passions and interests are anything STEAM, language acquisition, supporting students with special needs, and serving underrepresented communities throughout the world.

Tom's entrepreneurial consulting business (The Net for Ed Access) focuses on helping education-based companies properly enter and sustain themselves in the K-12 school district market; conducting K-12 EdTech sales and marketing searches, with a focus on diversity and equity; and providing strategic business plan development, bi-annual sales seminars, and organizational conference planning and fundraising.