Margaret El is a visual arts administrator, educator, and artist whose career spans more than four decades, marked by innovative leadership and tangible impact in arts education.
From 1999 to 2024, she served with the Newark Board of Education, including eight years as Director of Visual and Performing Arts. Under her direction, artistic literacy and fluency became central components of the district’s educational mission. She managed curriculum, assessment, instruction, and professional development for both teachers and leaders, overseeing collaborations with arts partners and spearheading projects that benefited over 240 educators and nearly 40,000 students in 64 Newark Public Schools.
In 2021, her office published the first district-wide arts education report, leading to increased hiring of arts teachers and student participation in sequential arts learning. She established a ten-year plan adhering to state standards for ongoing arts education development. Ms. El introduced annual district-wide arts events and summer arts programs, mentored educators, supporting their development into leadership roles, and through her advocacy facilitated partnerships with organizations such as NJPAC and the Newark Museum of Art, among others.
Prior to her district-wide position, from 2015 to 1999, Margaret El served as vice principal and department chair at Arts High School, supervising teachers and arts programs which began to shape her vision for arts education across Newark. As a visual art educator at Arts and Weequahic High Schools in Newark, she nurtured talent and creativity among her students as they moved beyond school art displays to participate in exhibits at City Without Walls, Aljira, Gallery Aferro, and other regional venues.
Earlier, El worked as a fashion designer in New York for top brands including J.G. Hook and Weathervane/Country Miss among other prominent design companies between 1983 and 1998. Her deep expertise in creative industries informs her educational philosophy, emphasizing that sustained exposure to the arts enables individuals to realize their highest creative potential. She holds degrees from Hampton University, Parsons the New School for Design, and an MA in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University. Her legacy includes improved student outcomes, expanded opportunities for student arts learning, and a deep commitment to cultivating creative leaders for the future.