Nancy Diaz Bain, Co-Director of the Metropolitan Regional Career & Tech Center, was born & raised on the South Side of Providence, where she was one of six children. She graduated from Rhode Island College with a major in secondary education & the social sciences. Nancy began to volunteer at The Met while in college after a chance meeting with Dennis Littky. After graduating in 1998 from RIC, she was hired as an Advisor. Upon graduating her students, she became a Principal in 2002.  She returned to school herself to earn a Masters in School Administration from Cambridge College in 2003. Nancy rose to the position of Co-Director in 2006.  In this role, she oversees the three campuses of Met, which are the Public Street Campus located at 325 Public Street (South Side), the Peace Street Campus located at 362 Dexter Street (West End) of Providence, and the Paul W. Crowley Campus located at 115 Girard Avenue in Newport. Nancy oversees the day-to-day operations of the schools, helps Principals and Departmental Directors to collaborate with one another, and encourages students to succeed.  Her passion is to lead the school so that staff and students are given every opportunity to excel. "My family wanted to give me a lot but they couldn't do so financially. The Met opens doors to a lot of students. I would have loved the opportunity to attend a school like ours when I was in high school, soI am energized by helping students be successful.” 

With high standards and strong family engagement, the Met’s individualized learning approach has proven successful in unlocking students’ passion for learning. The Met empowers its students to take charge of their learning, to become responsible citizens, and to grow as life-long learners. The hallmarks of a Met education include internships, individual learning plans,advisory, and a breakthrough college transition program. 

 

The Met is the leader in school reform and is consistently identified by a sweeping range of education leaders as one of the most effective models in the country. It is the model for an international network of schools and 80 schools across the country founded by the Big Picture Learning Company. In addition to her work on campus, Nancy plays an active role in the Big Picture Company and continually communicates with Principals throughout the network. 

 

Outside of the Met, Nancy is a wife and mother of a son.