Iris Lewis currently serves as Executive Director of City Lights Public Charter School in Washington DC. Her work at City Lights reflects her career of leadership in the field of Special Education, with emphasis on adolescents with emotional and behavioral disturbance. Ms. Lewis’ passion for the mental health of young men and women drives her commitment to City Lights PCS. In addition to City Lights PCS, Ms. Lewis has served in executive capacity at For Love of Children.

Ms. Lewis earned her B.S. Degree from Howard University and holds a Masters in Education & Human Development from George Washington University. Additionally, she holds a Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University’s Center for Public & Non-profit Leadership, and is pre-doctoral candidate at GWU with an emphasis on Special Education: Leadership for Systems Change. She is active in organizations and programs that strive to provide the best possible services to those youth in DC who struggle with learning and emotional disabilities including The Consortium for Youth Services and the District Association of Non-Public Special Education Providers.

Iris Lewis is an advocate for high academic and behavioral standards for African American youth. She also believes that the mental health needs all children must be acknowledged and effectively addressed. Ms. Lewis is a native of Tuskegee, AL. She currently lives in Silver Spring, MD with her husband and daughter.