NYU Steinhardt Administrator Amy Fair Makes an Impact on Education Policy

Double NYU alum Amy Fair is putting her education and her passion for helping her community to work together—both as the director of strategic initiatives and special projects at NYU Steinhardt and as the mayoral appointee to New York City’s Panel for Educational Policy (PEP).

A Bronx native, Fair began her relationship with NYU in 2001 when she was hired as an administrative secretary. She steadily advanced at NYU, and when she was a budget administrator in 2007, she began taking classes at the University while pregnant with her daughter. Once her daughter started school, this experience opened her eyes to “the power of education in being an advocate for [her] daughter.”

“I recognized my little girl’s uniqueness in how she learns when she started universal Pre-K, and she ended up with an IEP [Individualized Education Program],” says Fair. “We didn’t see a lot of Black and Brown teachers or students who understood her or her learning style, and there also wasn’t a lot of content about Black history or other empowering topics, and I knew that needed to change. Being a single mom brought out my leadership capacity in me because you realize you can no longer be silent—you’re required to step up for both of you and lead by example.”

Fair was volunteering in her community—as a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (now Breakthrough T1D) Bronx Captain, at her church, and at the American Diabetes Association—before she was nominated to the Community Education Council (CEC) 11 by Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, who is the first Black person and the first woman to hold the position. As chair of CEC 11’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Fair spearheaded a multicultural children’s fashion show, for which she received a community service award from Gibson.

After completing her two-year term, Fair was then solicited by the mayor’s office to join PEP. This voting body comprises 24 community leaders from all boroughs and oversees New York City Public Schools. During her time on the panel, PEP accomplished several important initiatives, including:

• Expanding the number of parent-preferred languages used in communications, in response to specific community needs
• Overhauling NYC Public Schools’ approach to suicide prevention and crisis safety
• Redeveloping student de-escalation strategies and removing NYPD from direct involvement with students during school-based incidents requiring mental health intervention

Fair is also part of the Neighborhood Advisory Board, which recently deployed a Community Needs Assessment survey. “We conduct this assessment every three years and share with district leaders to help determine the most pressing needs in each neighborhood, which directly impacts future funding for community programs and services,” says Fair.

In addition to her community roles, Fair has more than 24 years of exemplary experience in higher education, including eight key roles at NYU. She has been in her current position at NYU Steinhardt since 2024.

“Three of my NYU jobs have been at NYU Steinhardt, and I think it’s been the best place to empower me, support me, and challenge me,” says Fair. “I approach things in PEP by thinking about how I’d handle the situation if it were at Steinhardt. Working at Steinhardt has been a constant learning experience, and I’m grateful for the growth it continues to offer me, benefiting my daughter and my community. I try to use a high level of care and concern in my professional life. People are important, and one of the most important parts of big decisions is remembering how everything affects the community and the people who are out there doing the work.”

Fair obtained both a bachelor's in organizational behavior and communications and a master's in professional writing from NYU School of Professional Studies. In her current role, she leads strategic initiatives and special projects within the Steinhardt Office of Administration and Finance, focusing on cross-functional collaboration, process improvement, operational strategy, and long-term planning. She also mentors administrative leaders, develops tailored training plans, oversees emergency response planning in partnership with the director of Facilities and Administrative Services, and coordinates school-wide emergency preparedness training.