Continental Who's Who

Susan J. Ciminelli

Susan J. Ciminelli is recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member in the field of Education in recognition of her role as Executive Director at White Waves Education. Amassing over thirty years of experience within the industry, Ciminelli is a teacher, trainer and consultant, focusing on strategies to improve student achievement in Title 1 schools. “In my workshops, teachers learn to understand the effects of trauma and poverty on their students, how to use brain-based techniques to engage and empower their struggling learners,” Ciminelli said. “I completed 112 hours of training in poverty and brain-based practices with Dr. Eric Jensen, and continue to study the research that informs my practice.”

Ciminelli was a presenter for the latest National At-Risk Education Network (NAREN) Conference in Baltimore, MD in April 2017. Her presentation “Secret Sauce for Student Success: Building Relationships” focused on how teachers can tap into recent research findings and improve their ability to reach and teach struggling learners and at-risk students. She also presented at the Canadian Association of Principals national conference held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in May 2017. Ciminelli is certified as a New York State (NYS) School District Administrator, a NYS School Administrator/Supervisor, holds a NYS Public School Teacher Certificate and a Dalcroze Certificate from the Institute for Jaques-Dalcroze Education. “The hallmark of my work is in developing teacher skills in building positive relationships and using brain-based instruction techniques that translates into successful student learning,” Ciminelli said. “My strengths are in verbal and written communication, instructional design and evaluation, data analysis, teacher training and applied technology.”

Throughout the course of her educational career, Ciminelli earned her Master’s degree from Ithaca College and her Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Potsdam. She earned an Advanced Degree in School Administration from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 2002. She continues to further her professional development as a member of the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

When not working, Ciminelli donates her time to her church choir and supports organizations that fight poverty such as Goodwill and Vietnam Veterans. She also enjoys writing music, travel and genealogy. Her article, “Coming to America in 1830” was published in the December 2016 issue of the Sussex Family Historian magazine. Her book “Collapse of the Hive: America At-Risk - How educators can help struggling learners succeed and save our country” is slated to be released later this year. Ciminelli dedicates this recognition to her husband Peter, her children Robert and Genevieve, her sister, Nancy, and to the loving memory of her parents Frederick and Jane Marie Bates. For more information, visit whitewaveseducation.com.