Elise A. Olivieri is a dedicated New York City public school educator with more than 20 years of experience teaching earth science at Curtis High School on Staten Island. Known for her engaging and interactive approach, she has helped generations of students connect classroom learning to the natural world while preparing them for success. 

Her career has been defined by a deep commitment to authentic science education. Elise has conducted Hudson River water quality research through Columbia University’s Summer Research Program for Science Teachers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, participated in NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program in the Mid-Atlantic, and worked with James Cook University researchers on coral studies on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. She also helped create opportunities for her own students to conduct wetlands research through a multi-year Columbia University partnership. 

In addition to teaching, Elise has contributed to New York State Regents exam development, trained educators in laboratory exam administration, and served as a content trainer for Earth Science Regents grading for Staten Island teachers for more than a decade. She is also a longtime member of the Science Teachers Association of New York State and remains active in science education leadership and professional development. 

Elise holds a master’s in earth science from Mississippi State University, a bachelor of arts in sociology and criminal law & justice from the University at Albany, and additional graduate study in adolescent education at St. John’s University and earth science at Brooklyn College.