The Visionary
Cia is a "finisher" in a world of starters. With a thirty-year legacy inside the New York City Department of Education, she has mastered the most complex, high-stakes endurance event in the world: the urban classroom. As a retired Administrator, Dean of Discipline, and UFT Chapter Leader, she has seen the system from the classroom to the boardroom. She understands that while the city spends $25,000 to onboard every new teacher, it fails to provide the one thing they need to stay: A Well that never runs dry.
The Academic & The Artist
Currently a Professor of Special Education, Cia trains the next generation of NYC Teaching Fellows in the "Art and Science" of pedagogy. Her deep expertise as a Master Literacy Coach and specialist in Public Communication ensures that her educators lead with both voice and precision. Her career is anchored by her role as a founding theater teacher at the premiere Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, where she worked alongside founders Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto to prove that the arts are the soul of civic resilience.
The Ultra-Endurance Athlete
Cia doesn't just teach grit; she embodies it. An Ironman finisher, 5x marathoner, and ultra-marathoner, she treats the teaching profession as the ultra-endurance event it is. She is a State-Certified Hike Guide, an Advanced Yoga Teacher, and a practitioner of Clinical Hypnosis, using somatic and subconscious tools to help high-performers "untether" from burnout and reprogram their stress response for the long haul.
The Peace Architect
A Community Crisis Chaplain and International AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project) Facilitator, Cia is the person the city calls when things fall apart. She certifies Peacemakers with data-backed potency, bringing conflict resolution to suspension rooms and boardrooms alike.