Donny Lopez

Donny Lopez has been the principal of PS 163 since 2012. Since the start of his career as a building leader, Donny has worked closely with his staff on increasing student-led discussions to support the school’s vision of supporting and nurturing the opinions and ideas of its students. In 2017, Donny applied for PS 163 as a host of the Learning Partners Program School. They were accepted, and under Donny’s leadership as a model principal (2017-19), PS 163 spent the following two years working with neighboring schools on sharing their best practices in student-led discussions.

In 2018-19, Donny was accepted into The Cahn Fellowship Program for Distinguished Principals at Teachers College, Columbia University. His yearlong project focused on unpacking cultural bias and connecting the work of equity to daily classroom instruction as a means to ensure equitable practices.

In 2019, Donny joined the Urban Education Leaders Program (UELP) Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program at Teachers College, Columbia University, to strengthen his leadership skills so that he has the necessary tools to interrupt systemic structures that lead to disproportionate outcomes for students of color. Donny defended his dissertation in 2022.

A graduate of the 2011-12 NYC Leadership Academy, Lopez received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in rehabilitation services from Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Science in Teaching (M.S.T.) from Fordham University, and he received a Master of Science in Education (Ed.M.) administration from Bank Street College. Before working as a principal, Donny was a special education public school teacher in District 3 of the NYC DOE. He lives in NYC, is happily married, has two children, and is an avid runner.