For over 30 years, my work has been a steady force for change across the education system. 

I began my career at Lafayette High School, where I saw firsthand how our systems empowered students, but also how they could create unnecessary obstacles. That experience shifted my perspective; it transformed my commitment to teaching into a mission to help educators realize their vision and support communities through system-wide change.

From there, I became a teacher trainer across 23 high schools. In this role, I supported teachers, developed curriculum, and learned how to align leadership with on-the-ground realities to support our most vulnerable students. This led me to the New Century New High Schools design team, where I helped secure the grant to open South Brooklyn Community High School. As Principal, I implemented the flagship Learning to Work (LTW) program—a career readiness model that provided the strategic momentum needed to break through the barriers facing disconnected youth by embedding paid internships into their school experience.

In recent years, I’ve served as a senior executive at the NYC Department of Education, including as Senior Executive Director of the Office of Postsecondary Readiness. In this role, I applied lessons learned throughout my career on a systemic scale. By securing over $25M in funding and developing initiatives like College Access for All and Computer Science for All, I gained invaluable experience turning complex mandates into clear paths forward for 1.1M+ young people.

Over time, I’ve learned that a system is only as strong as the alignment between its people and its purpose. Success comes by ensuring every person at every layer of a system is moving in the same direction, with a collective sense of ownership and understanding. I founded Forces Strategy Group to bring that same momentum to your organization. Whether we are developing city-wide Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways or guiding a school redesign, Forces Strategy Group cultivates alignment within your organization to meet your most ambitious goals.

- Vanda Belusic-Vollor

Founder, Forces Strategy Group