Advisory Committee

Ann Rubenstein Tisch is the Founder and President of a groundbreaking and high-performing network of all-girls’ public schools in New York City, The Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN). There are currently four schools in New York City, plus affiliates in Chicago, Illinois; Baltimore, Maryland; and Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Lubbock, Fort Worth, and Houston, Texas. Another school in Rochester, New York will open in September 2012. The Young Women's Leadership School of East Harlem opened in 1996, partnering with Center for Educational Innovation and was the first single-sex public school to open in more than 30 years and reignited the movement of single-sex public schools and classrooms in the United States. There are now more than 100 single-sex public schools and classrooms in the country. Since its first graduating class, the flagship school in East Harlem has had a 100% graduation rate and acceptance rate into four-year colleges, and is the model for single-sex public education around the world.

Shortly after opening the East Harlem School, Ms. Rubenstein Tisch created a college guidance and access program called CollegeBound Initiative (CBI), which places specially trained, full-time college counselors in high-need single-sex and co-ed public schools. CBI is responsible for helping students to secure financial aid for college. For example the average financial aid package is approximately $12,000 per student for four years. CBI is operating in 16 public schools and creates a culture of success. Both programs have shown outstanding results in helping low-income students reach their full potential and educational goals.

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Ms. Rubenstein Tisch began a 19-year career in broadcast journalism at WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas.  She then moved to WCOO-TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota and later joining NBC Network News as a National Correspondent. As a National Correspondent, Ms. Rubenstein Tisch developed a strong interest in educational issues. After covering dozens of education stories for the network, as well as reading and studying data on single-sex education, she was inspired to create an all-girls inner city public school to serve disadvantaged families. In 1996, with the unanimous approval of the New York City Board of Education, Ms. Rubenstein Tisch turned her idea into a reality and opened The Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem.

Ms. Rubenstein Tisch was educated at Washington University in St. Louis, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology and Sociology.  She currently serves as a Trustee on the Board of Washington University in St. Louis. She also serves on the Dean’s Council of The New York University Tisch School of the Arts and is a Trustee of the Center for Educational Innovation.  She is currently consulting with many school districts and parent groups across the country about creating schools similar to The Young Women’s Leadership School.