Dr. Patricia M. Virella is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Montclair State University. She teaches graduate courses on research methods and educational leadership. Dr.Virella holds four degrees: a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University, a masters in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from Sarah Lawrence College, a masters in Urban Educational Leadership from Bank Street College and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Virella has expertise in equity-oriented educational leadership and crisis educational leadership. Dr. Virella has authored publications that examine equity-oriented leadership. In particular, she focuses on how school leaders influence and are influenced to enact equity-oriented leadership activities.