Who We Are
The National Board Council of New York (NBCNY) is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization and an affiliate network of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The work of the NBCNY is aligned with NBPTS and is guided by two strategic goals: Goal 1: Build Educator Effectiveness Across the Career Continuum. Goal 2: Promote a Vision of Accomplished Teaching that Elevates the Profession. The NBCNY collaborates with organizations to provide various professional learning offerings using NBPTS resources to strengthen instructional practice. Our trained facilitators also provided guidance in developing and strengthening NBC support programs. NBCNY strives to connect and support NBCTs as teacher leaders who provide a positive voice for P-20 education and improve student learning. Feel free to contact a Regional Lead near you for more information.
Our NBCNY Team
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Annette Romano, NBCT
Chair of NBCNY
Co-Regional Coordinator
Eastern Upstate
aromano@nbcny.org
Annette has been the Director of the NBCNY Network and Co-Regional Coordinator of the Eastern Upstate region. She collaborates to increase awareness about National Board Certification, provide candidate support, and promote NBC as part of the teacher-leader continuum. She retired from the Niskayuna CSD, where she taught for over 30 years. Now, Annette consults as a professional learning and curriculum specialist.
Annette became a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in 2001 and co-founded the NBCNY in 2007. She has expertise in National Board Certification, mentoring, curriculum, teacher leadership, and teacher evaluation. In 2010, she received the Bertha Brimmer Medal from the University at Albany Alumni Association and in 2013, she receive an Excellence in Education Award from NYSUT. Annette has served as a member of the NYSED Professional Standards and Practices Broad, Provost Steering Committee on TeachNY Policy, NYSED Principal Preparation Project. She currently serves on the UAlbany Leadership Council and actively supports families affected by pediatric cancer.
Gary S. Bogle, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
NYC Region
hotlink112@gmail.com
Gary is a facilitator for New York City Men Teach and has partnered with NBCNY to empower men of color in NYC to pursue NBC and leadership in education. He achieve NBC as an Exceptional Needs Specialist in 2022 and soon after participated in professional learning facilitator training. He achieved his MS in Ed Admin in 2025 and he wants to revolutionize our education system. Gary wants to broaden our idea of educational success to include our spiritual core, and make addressing our inner wellbeing the priority.
Colleen Napora, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
Mid Hudson Region
cnapora@acsdny.org
Colleen Napora earned National Board Certification in Exceptional Needs in 2004. She currently teaches special education at Arlington High School in Lagrangeville, NY, where she also serves as the Assistant Athletic Director. Since 2006, she has actively supported teachers in their pursuit of accomplished teaching. She has facilitated several cohort groups, writing institutes, Jump Start academies and mentored hundreds of teachers seeking National Board certification. Colleen has attended the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Conference, the NEA Jump Start academy and the National Board Summer Academy. She has also presented at the Teach to Lead conference in Washington, DC. She has facilitated Jump Start training at the Regional and National level. She serves as a member of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Board of Directors and the Mid Hudson Teacher Center Policy Board. In 2014, Colleen attended SUNY New Paltz and completed her Certificate of Advanced Study and earned TESOL certification in 2019. Colleen truly exemplifies life-long learning.
Maria Fenton, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
Southern Tier
mariafenton55@gmail.com
Maria achieved National Board Certification in World Languages, and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Spanish. She brings over 20 years of teaching and mentoring experience to the NBCNY team. Born and raised in Europe, Maria is a graduate of Paris-Sorbonne University and speaks five languages fluently. In the States, she received education degrees from Wells College and SUNY Cortland. She is the Co-Regional Coordinator of Eastern Upstate. Maria facilitates National Board Certification Candidate Cohorts and works diligently with Candidate Support Providers in the Region. She is passionate about National Board Certification, knowing that it is the highest mark of professional accomplishment for educators; and that its process is such a continuous journey of leadership, learning and collaboration which brings amazing impact on student achievement! As she works with hundreds of colleagues, Maria is deeply inspired by their dedication to their students, and their commitment to excellence!
Laura Havill, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
Southern Tier Region
lhavill@tstboces.org
Laura was born and raised in upstate NY near Keuka Lake. As she finished her BA in Deaf Studies from the University of Rochester, she realized she wanted to teach and pursued alternative certification in Texas' Rio Grande Valley. In 1998, she came home to NY and was hired by the Turning Point Program of Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES as a special education teacher for middle school students whose emotional and behavioral difficulties made being in a less restrictive placement challenging. She transitioned to an elementary position in the same program and then to TST's first Instructional Coach position. Across her career, Laura strives to foster a culture of collaboration and support as a teacher leader and as Teachers Association President. She has facilitated the early district approach to APPR mandates through a “Don’t Panic” handbook and recently through the creation of a pilot program to guide APPR revisions. In 2011, she joined the NBC ranks as an Exceptional Needs Specialist. Laura is passionate about ensuring that teacher voices are heard in district, regional and state-wide discussions.
John O'Gorman, NBCT
Treasurer
Greater Rochester Region
jogorman55@gmail.com
John O’Gorman achieved National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Mathematics in 2006 and renewed his certification in 2016. He recently retired after 35 years of teaching high school/middle school mathematics and mentoring new teachers in the Fairport Central School District. John is a former Fulbright Teaching Scholar, participating in a full year Fulbright Teacher Exchange teaching mathematics at Collegiate High School in Blackpool, England. In 2005, John received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Nazareth College. Since achieving his National Board Certification, John has actively supported teachers in their pursuit of the profession’s gold standard for accomplished teaching. John has attended the NEA Jump Start Academy, the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Candidate Support Provider Training, the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Conference and the Summer Academy. He currently co-facilitates the Nazareth College National Board Certification cohort. John is currently an adjunct professor and a College Based Teacher Educator in the School of Education at Nazareth College and is a founding Advisory Council and Board Member of NBCNY.
Geoff Bizan, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
Eastern Upstate Region
geoff@teachers-center.org
Geoffrey Bizan is the High Potential and STEM Teacher at Lake George Elementary School, where he serves as Science Curriculum Leader, coordinates diverse enrichment programs for students in grades Pre-K – 6, and coaches the school’s VEX Robotics Team.
With 18 years of teaching experience, Geoff is deeply committed to inspiring curiosity and innovation in students while advancing teacher leadership across New York State. As the Teacher Leadership Coach for Technology Integration at the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center, he has facilitated hundreds of professional learning experiences and presented at numerous statewide conferences, supporting educators in leveraging technology and inquiry-based learning to enhance classroom practice.
Geoff is a National Board Certified Teacher - Middle Childhood Generalist, a New York State Master Teacher Emeritus, and an Apple Distinguished Educator. He also holds advanced certificates as a School Building Leader and School District Leader, reflecting his dedication to empowering teachers and fostering excellence in education.
Amanda Zullo, NBCT
Vice Chair of NBCNY
zulloamanda@gmail.com
Amanda has been the Communications Coordinator of the NBCNY Network for the past several years. As she transitioned from a science teacher, to NYSED Associate to a Principal she continues to work to increase awareness about National Board Certification, provide candidate support, and promote NBC as part of the teacher-leader continuum. Amanda became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2012.
In the classroom for eleven years, Mrs. Zullo taught science and was Coordinator of the Adirondack Farm to School initiative at Saranac Lake High School. A strong advocate for practical, hands-on, student-centered learning, Amanda remains involved in the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) activity development/professional learning workshops and also has a strong focus on (scope/sequence, pedagogical shifts and curriculum development) related to the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards. Amanda is the Vice-President of New York State ASCD working across the state and National Level with curriculum, instruction and school improvement.
Amanda has been honored with numerous grants along with the 2020 Clarkson Woodstock Award, the 2018 Mayfield Wall of Dedication, the 2016 Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award, the 2016 ASCD Emerging Leader, and the 2015 Presidential Award of Excellence in Math and Science Teaching.
Stephanie Cullaj, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
New York City
stephanie.cullaj@gmail.com
Stephanie Cullaj achieved National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist in 2014. She has been a teacher in New York City schools for 19 years, working in a variety of special education settings as well as in Spanish bilingual classrooms. She has a Masters in Instructional Leadership and a Masters in Teaching Elementary Students with Disabilities with an extension in Bilingual Education. Stephanie is currently a teacher and instructional coach for the UFT Teacher Center at PS 536 in the Bronx. In addition to providing special education services to students, Stephanie is passionate about supporting teachers through instructional coaching cycles and by designing and facilitating professional learning. She does this at her school and at citywide professional learning sessions for the UFT. She also helped create professional learning for the National Association for Bilingual Education Conference. Stephanie is an instructor for NYSUT ELT graduate special education courses. She supports teachers seeking National Board Certification by planning and facilitating candidate cohorts and informational sessions through the UFT Teacher Center in NYC and writing institutes for teachers in NYS.
Stefanie Rice, NBCT
Regional Coordinator
Mid-Hudson Region
srice@acsdny.org
Stefanie Rice is a National Board Certified Teacher in Career and Technical Education. She has been a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher since 1994 and currently teaches Early Childhood Education classes and a class in Sports and Nutrition. Stefanie has been the coordinator for the Family and Consumer Sciences department since 2004 at Arlington High School in New York State. Stefanie is active in the New York State Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Educators - Hudson Valley Northeast chapter. She was voted Teacher of the Year by the Association in 2004. Since earning her National Board certification in 2006, Stefanie has become active in helping others reflect on their teaching practices to become National Board Certified. Since 2009, Stefanie (with Colleen) has been a candidate support provider and has attended multiple National Board and Teaching and Learning conferences. Stefanie, with Colleen, presented at the Teaching and Learning conference in 2015.
Kathleen Reiser, NBCT
Regional Coordinator
Far West Region
kathleenreiser@gmail.com
Kathy achieved National Board Certification in Adolescent/Young Adult English in 2014. Havingsuch a positive experience, she moved on to be trained as a Professional Learning Facilitator in 2015. She worked with Buffalo and Kenmore Town-Tonawanda Staff Development Centers toprovide National Board Cohorts with several workshops during the year, as well as coordinating Writing Institutes for candidates. The Ken-Ton Cohort has been active for almost 10 years.Kathy received her Bachelor Degree in English and Education from Canisius College, and a Master’s Degree in Reading from Buffalo State University. Recently retired, she taught for almost 25 years in the Ken-Ton School District, teaching high school and middle school English, Response to Intervention, and supporting other teachers as an Instructional Support Specialist and Facilitator. She has also been active in NYSUT and the Kenmore Teachers Association as a representative. Kathy feels it is important to provide support for teachers at all stages in their career. Teachers leading teachers has always been a model that she feels is most successful. She strives to help her colleagues experience the pride of their accomplishments as they work
to attain their highest level of professional achievement through National Board Certification.
Caron Lindstrom, NBCT
Regional Coordinator
Greater Rochester Region
caron.lindstrom@gmail.com
Kristine Eberhart, NBCT
Co-Regional Coordinator
Long Island Region
kristineeberhart@gmail.com
Caron Lindstrom is a Professional Learning Facilitator for National Board Certification and co-facilitates a National Board Certification cohort. Caron achieved National Board Certification in Adolescent/Young Adult Social Studies in 2007 and renewed her certification in 2016. She received her bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from LeMoyne College in 1998 and a Master’s degree in Teaching Secondary Social Studies from Trinity University in 2003. Caron taught in Prince George’s County, Maryland for the first five years of her career. She has been teaching at Rush-Henrietta Senior High School since 2007. She currently serves on NYSED Commissioner Rosa’s Teacher Advisory Council.
Kristine Eberhart achieved National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist in 2013. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from SUNY Potsdam in 2000. In addition, she has a master's degree in Special Education and Educational Technology and a certification in Teaching Inclusion Classrooms. Kristine has been a teacher in her hometown of East Hampton for 23 years, teaching at the kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd-grade levels. She currently teaches 2nd grade at John M. Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton. Kristine actively participates in her community and supports teaching children about the rich history within it. Kristine is passionate about National Board and the high professional development it provides teachers. She supports teachers through facilitating cohort groups and Jump Start academies in collaboration with Peconic Teacher Center as well as planning and presenting Long Island writing institutes with Sarah Duke and NYSUT. Kristine has also aided in planning the NBCNY Summit.
Regional Coordinators:
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Serve on a voluntary basis.
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Share resources about NBC with various stakeholders.
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Provide expertise about the NBC process to interested
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Connect candidates with cohorts led by trained facilitators.
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Collaborate to strengthen NBC programs.
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Share NBPTS resources P-20 and across the career continuum.
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Capitalize on the expertise of NBCTs.
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Organize regional events-awareness, writing institutes,
NBCT Summits, and celebrations/recognition events.
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