Diana Lam

Diana Lam, a resident of Marstons Mills, is a retired educator and change agent with a national reputation for raising student academic and artistic achievement.

In 2016, she retired from Conservatory Lab Charter School, a music-infused public elementary school in Boston. While there, she introduced the Expeditionary Learning project-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning and El Sistema, the Venezuelan model of music instruction. The innovative programming increased students’ academic performance, creative output, and musical skills. Conservatory Lab was the first public school in America to serve as a site for the El Sistema-inspired music education and youth development model during the school day.

Since her retirement, she has served as Interim Executive Director at Bridge Boston and Lowell Community Public Charter Schools, managing a successful transition to a permanent Executive Director.

In 2015, the Barr Foundation of Boston selected her as one of 12 Barr Fellows for her outstanding contribution to the community and her potential to drive positive change for years to come.

Before coming to Conservatory Lab Charter School, she served as Vice-President for Global Education and Community Outreach for Christel House International, leading schools in India, South Africa, Mexico and Venezuela. She also was appointed Practitioner-in-Residence at Teachers College at Columbia University.

Diana also served as Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning in NYC and has been Superintendent of Schools in Providence, RI; Dubuque, IA; Chelsea, MA; and San Antonio, Texas, where she was the first female superintendent and won national acclaim for her accomplishment of dramatically increasing student achievement. She has also served on the ELL Task Force for the Boston Public Schools and is a founder and Board chair of Boston’s first dual-language public high school, the Margarita Muñiz Academy.

Diana holds a B.A. in Sociology from College of St. Benedict; a B.S. in Social Sciences from St. Cloud State University, and a M.Ed. in Bilingual Education from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. She also completed all doctoral courses (ABD), with concentration on Leadership and Administration, at Boston University.

What has inspired you to serve as a member of The Cape Cod Foundation Board of Directors?

“Work at The Cape Cod Foundation has never been as important or more urgent than during these past few years. Our understanding of our responsibility to include all of the talent on the Cape is more imperative. I am excited to be joining The Cape Cod Foundation with its values that emphasize partnerships, empowerment, and collaboration. This inclusive approach to problem solving and improving the quality of life for all residents makes the Foundation a more vibrant organization and one positioned for promising growth.”