Penn Graduate School of Education School Leadership Program Virtual Lunch & Learn

Leslie Levin, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania

Leslie Levin has worked in the field of admissions and enrollment management for over twenty years. As a University of Pennsylvania alumna, she is thrilled to serve as the Graduate School of Education’s Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. Prior to joining Penn GSE, Leslie served as the Director of Admissions, Enrollment Management and Student Recruitment at Temple University's College of Public Health. She has also held the positions of Director of Admissions and Graduate Student Services at Temple’s College of Engineering, and Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions and Marketing for the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Leslie completed her undergraduate degree in psychology from Penn and earned a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the George Washington University. 

Steve Piltch, Director, School Leadership Program, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania; former Head of The Shipley School

Steve Piltch has spent his entire career as a scholar, teacher, coach, counselor, and educational administrator. He taught math and psychology at Choate Rosemary Hall for six years, where he also was a form dean, served as an advisor, and coached squash, baseball, and soccer. He also  taught for three years in the Newton and Brookline public schools and was a Teaching Fellow of Supervision in the Harvard Graduate School of Education. One of Steve’s particular enthusiasms is squash and during this period he was Assistant Coach of Men’s Squash and then Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Squash at Harvard. His coaching experience also took him to Israel, where he coached the 1989 and 1993 United States Men’s and Women’s Squash Teams in the Maccabiah Games.

Steve retired as Shipley's Head of School as of July 1, 2019 and took over as the Director, School Leadership Program, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania. His 27-year tenure leading Shipley was marked by substantial increases in enrollment, diversity, physical space, and endowment. Steve also oversaw the implementation of the Social, Emotional and Ethical Development (SEED) curriculum, an integrated learning experience that draws from practices in positive education, academic and social emotional learning, and emotional intelligence.

Steve has served on a number of boards, including The Gladwyne Montessori School, Montgomery School, The Wyndcroft School, ADVIS, and Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). Currently, he serves on the boards of The Gesu School, Children’s Literacy Initiative, Minding Your Mind, and SpeakUp! In 2021, Steve was awarded the Barbara Kraus-Blackney Visionary Service Award, ADVIS's annual award for visionary service, renamed in 2021 for retiring ADVIS President Barbara Kraus-Blackney. 

Jessica Richard, Associate Director, School Leadership Program, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.

Since completing graduate studies in Educational Administration, Jessica’s continued focus has been on the building of healthy organizational structures and cultivating a foundation of excellence in instructional development and curriculum. Her expertise lies in creating instructional coherence, cultivating strong teams, designing systems & programming for community engagement and building quality educational leadership standards that support student achievement.

With over twenty years of experience, Jessica excelled within primary and secondary (K-12) education serving in various leadership capacities throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, culminating with nine years as a Principal and Chief Academic Officer. During her tenure, she and her staff established strong routines for continuous development at every level of the school system, strengthened core instructional program, improved the percentage of students reading on or above grade level by over 50%, and established powerful one-of-a-kind partnerships with parents and community leaders that deepened the districts local relationships and influence. Jessica, in partnership with the community she served, also introduced a bold agenda for the future grounded in a commitment to student achievement and teacher performance. She was named the Dobson FIM 2013 Principal of the Year and is a member of the PA Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals.