Susan Rios and Kharissa Kenner

Teaches at Continuing Professional Studies at Bank

Susan Rios

Susie Rios is a kindergarten teacher with 20 years of teaching experience in elementary education. She has presented at the NYSAIS Diversity Conference (2022) and the NYSAIS Brain Conference (2018). Rios co-founded and co-chairs the Anti-Racist Book Group at Bank Street College. She is dedicated to building racial understanding in classrooms through the use of picture books, discussion, and experiential learning. She has an MA in Curriculum Development from SUNY Empire State. Dr. Rios also has an MA in Educational Psychology and a PhD in Education with a focus on the Neuroscience of Learning, both from CUNY Graduate Center.

Kharissa Kenner

Kharissa Kenner is the children’s librarian at Bank Street School for Children. She is a member of the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Committee, and is co-chair of the Anti-Racist Resources Committee at Bank Street College, which is dedicated to highlighting new books that combat stereotypes and affirm BIPOC children from nursery through 8th grade. Kenner is also a reviewer for School Library Journal and Shelf Awareness. She has a Master’s in Library Science from Queens College (MLS) and a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Brooklyn College.