Dr. Nina Nusbaum has dedicated nearly 20 years to education, bringing deep expertise in teaching, administration, and leadership
with a wealth of organizational experience. Her career spans roles as a teacher, school leader, district director, and university professor, experiences that ground her ability to bridge policy with practice and to foster inclusive, future-ready learning
communities. As a scholar-practitioner, she has published research on Standards-Based Grading and remains dedicated to authentic
assessment, equity-centered curriculum design, and cultivating 21st-century leader competencies.
A double alumna of National Louis University, Dr. Nusbaum earned both her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership there, as well as a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. Driven by a lifelong love of learning, she recently earned a Certificate in School Management and Leadership (CSML) from Harvard Business School to further expand her knowledge and perspective. Dr. Nusbaum’s research interests include human-centered leadership, psychological safety environments, educator wellness and belonging, design thinking, leadership identity formation, and leading multigenerational and diverse teams.
A proud resident of Lincolnshire, Dr. Nusbaum treasures being part of its diverse and culturally rich community. Coming from a multicultural family herself, she deeply appreciates the respect, tolerance, and strong ethics that were modeled for her from a young age, and continues to champion these core values in her leadership, scholarship, and daily life. Rooted in her values of integrity, honesty, transparency, and humility, Dr. Nusbaum views these principles as essential to her work and is committed to empowering educators, elevating student accomplishments, and advancing excellence at every level. She attributes her professional, academic, and personal growth to the steadfast support of family, friends, colleagues, and mentors.
Dr. Nusbaum is deeply honored to be part of NLU and to contribute meaningfully to its values of Access, Innovation, Excellence, and Equity. With a strong sense of purpose and commitment, she strives to uphold these values in the service of the University’s transformative impact on learners and communities.
