SAMUEL WALLIS
CEO
Sam Wallis, a teacher by training and experience, has served as the Executive Director of YPIE since July 2019 and was named CEO in July 2025.
Sam began his work in education after graduating from Tufts University by joining Teach for America (TFA). He was placed in a struggling rural Mississippi Delta high school where he taught history and government. Recognizing the need for more equitable access to higher education, Sam focused on the barriers to college entry and persistence.
Sam earned his master's degree in Public School Building Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College, and then joined the leadership team of Democracy Prep Public Schools, a public charter school network.
In 2015, Sam joined the YPIE team in 2015 as Chief Program Officer, continuing his focus on college readiness and access in Yonkers, where he had attended elementary school. In this role, he helped build YPIE’s program model and outcomes-focused culture.
As Executive Director, Sam led YPIE’s expansion to Jersey City and Nashville, and continues to evolve YPIE’s programs to ensure students are on the path to success in college and careers.
Sam is a fan of the New York Yankees and Mississippi Blues and BBQ.
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