YONKERS, NY –In a media release from the Conference of Big 5 School Districts Reverend Steve Lopez, President of Yonkers Board of Education, was appointed to serve as Vice-Chairperson. His leadership term is effective July 1, 2020.

Having been a longtime advocate for those in need Reverend Lopez has always been active in fighting for the rights of others. He is currently Associate Pastor at Calvary Center Church in Yonkers, an evangelical church which dedicates itself to service to the community. Currently, he serves as Chaplain for the Yonkers Police Department. Reverend Lopez is Chair Emeritus of the Council of Big 5 School Districts and at this time serves as the Treasurer of the organization. Reverend Lopez has also served as President of L.A.T.Y.N., President of the Yonkers Puerto Rican Day Parade Foundation (now the Hispanic Day Parade), Chairperson for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission for Nonviolence and Vice-President of Untermeyer Performing Arts Council. Reverend Lopez has also served on the Yonkers Human Rights Commission, the Yonkers Council for HIV-AIDS as well as various other ad hoc committees.

Within the professional arena Reverend Lopez is a veteran school and education administrator. A Yonkers resident, he is currently the Director of Client Services for the Division of Teaching and Learning within the New York City Department of Education. He has also held administrative positions with the New York State Division of Human Rights, the Greenburgh Central District, and the Yonkers Public Schools, where he initially began his educational career.

Reverend. Lopez holds a Bachelor of Behavioral Science degree and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree (Summa Cum Laude) from Mercy College. President Reverend Lopez served as Treasurer of the Conference of Big 5 School Districts.

The Conference of Big 5 School Districts is a membership organization representing New York State’s urban school systems including the Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers, Albany, Mount Vernon and Utica City School Districts. Collectively, 45% of the State’s public school children are educated in these districts.