Curriculum Development Team

Aruna Patel | Lead Curriculum Development and Professional Learning Manager | apatel@newvisions.org

After teaching World History, US History, Social Science, Mathematics, and IB History of the Americas in Philadelphia Public Schools for 10 years, Aruna Patel joined New Visions as an instructional specialist in 2014.  She develops the US History Curriculum and collaborates with her colleagues at New Visions to think about how history can be a vehicle for teaching students to read, write, and think. She holds a B.A. in Cognitive Science and Economics from the University of Rochester and an M.A. in secondary social studies education from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Aliza Kapel | Social Studies Curriculum Development Specialist | akapel@newvisions.org

Aliza is responsible for developing curriculum and designing instructional resources for Social Studies. Prior to joining New Visions, she was a High School then Middle School Social Studies teacher in the Bronx. She has also worked as a LGBTQ history education consultant and advocate. She holds a B.A. in History from Washington State University and a M.Ed. in Social Studies Secondary Education from Lehman College.