NGA Names New Education Director

WASHINGTON —The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced Aaliyah Samuel as director of the NGA Center for Best Practices Education Division.

“I am honored to serve as director of NGA’s Education Division,” Samuel said. “K-12 education remains a top priority for many, if not all, governors, and I am happy to serve them and their staff in helping drive their education agendas forward.”

Samuel has first-hand knowledge of the K-12 system, previously serving as a principal, assistant principal and instructor at elementary schools in Arizona and Florida. She had been serving as interim education director at NGA and prior to that was a program director within the division.

Samuel’s priorities as director of the Education Division include elevating the role of high-quality early childhood education, promoting K-12 policies and developing a comprehensive education policy agenda.

“Dr. Aaliyah Samuel is a proven practitioner, analyst, and thought leader in the K-12 education field,” said Director for the NGA Center for Best Practices R. Kirk Jonas, Ph.D. “We’re fortunate to have her at the NGA Center for Best Practices.”

Samuel holds a doctorate in organization leadership as well as an advanced degree in education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, a master’s degree in teaching from the University of South Florida and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tuskegee University.