Malika Johnson-Willis is honored, humbled, and truly excited to take on the role of founding Principal of PS 456 - The Elizabeth Jennings School for Bold Explorers. She has been an elementary school educator for 17 years. She was inspired to become an educator during an internship with the Children’s Defense Fund’s program, Freedom School. Malika earned her BS from Cornell University, her M.S.Ed from Bank Street College of Education, and her MA in School Building Leadership from NYU in Educational Leadership. She received the Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award and was a finalist for the Big Apple Teaching Award. Malika interned at the central Department of Education with the Senior Deputy Chancellor of NYC public schools. Malika has worked as a special education, general education teacher, and administrator at Brooklyn New School over the last eleven years - seventeen years as an educator in total. She has a passion for serving students, families, and educators knowing together we can accomplish anything.