Announcing Our New Executive Director, Dr. Milly Seraus-Roache

The GCSA leadership team: Casey DePasquale (Program Director), Dr. Milly Seraus-Roache (Executive Director), and Charmain Walkin (Program Manager).

Earlier this year, Governor’s Committee on Scholastic Achievement (GCSA) began the search for a new Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter. Today, we are thrilled to announce that Dr. Milly Seraus-Roache has officially joined GCSA as Executive Director.

A proud Harlem native and first-generation college graduate, Dr. Seraus-Roache brings nearly two decades of experience spanning K–12 education, higher education, and nonprofit leadership. She most recently served as Executive Director of Future Leaders in Action (FLIA), where she helped connect college students and recent graduates to youth-serving organizations through living-wage fellowships that provide meaningful work experience.

Milly holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.S.Ed in Special Education from Hunter College, an M.A. in Educational Leadership from New York University, and a Ph.D. in Urban Education from the CUNY Graduate Center. Her work has consistently focused on expanding access to education for students from historically marginalized backgrounds.

GCSA’s Board of Directors expressed their full support, sharing that they are “thrilled to welcome Milly as GCSA’s new Executive Director. Her personal connection to our mission and deep experience in education will help us expand our impact and continue to support students who need us most.”

This transition also marks a shift for former Executive Director Casey DePasquale, who has returned to her prior role as Program Director. In this position, she is able to fully dedicate herself to the students and mentors who remain at the heart of GCSA’s mission. After leading the organization with strategy and care, she expressed confidence in the transition, saying, “Transitions in leadership can naturally bring questions, but I want to reassure you that GCSA is not only in steady hands — it is in visionary hands.” She described Milly as “a mission-aligned leader with sharp analytical insight and a scrappy, student-centered spirit,” and looks forward to working closely alongside her.

Together, Milly and Casey will combine deep institutional knowledge with fresh perspective to strengthen relationships, refine programming, and expand our reach.

Please help us welcome Milly by posting congratulations on Instagram and LinkedIn. We also invite you to help us mark this transition by making a donation to support GCSA’s work. Your contribution helps ensure that NYC public school students continue to receive long-term mentorship, college and career guidance, and $4,000 scholarships to support their journey beyond high school.