Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta

Cahn Fellow 2015

Principal, Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School

Manhattan, New York

Dr. Dawn Brooks DeCosta was a member of the thirteenth Cahn Fellows cohort in 2015 as Principal of Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School in Manhattan, NY. Dawn earned an M.S. in Fine Art Education from Queens College and a B.S. in Education from St. Johns University. She received her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership in 2017 at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dawn began her service of teaching 28 years ago and has worked as a teacher for the NYC DOE teaching in Harlem, NYC for 16 years and served as Principal of Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School (TMALS) for 11 years.

In August 2022, Dawn was promoted to Deputy Superintendent for District 5.