Born in October, 1943, in Oceanside, California and son of John Frank Repa and Doris Bonnie Lyman, Professor Repa obtained the following degrees: A.A. from Palomar College in 1963 concentrating on political science; B.A. from Stanford University in 1965 majoring in political science and minoring in economics; M.A. from the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) in 1966 learning to be a secondary social science teacher; and Ph.D. from Stanford University's School of Education in 1971 majoring in sociology and anthropology of education and minoring in social psychology. Dr. Repa also taught high school history for two more years after earning his permanent teaching certificate in California. While a graduate student at Stanford, he played on their men's club volleyball team before it was a varsity sport. During his stay at Stanford, he became a follower of all the Stanford teams.
Professor Repa arrived at New York University in 1971 where he joined the Applied Social Psychology and Social Policy faculty in the School of Education. He also joined that same year the Center for the Study of Human Relations in order to pursue his research interests in work group interaction, personnel assessment, organizational development, and equity in schools. He served as its budget director from 1971-1976 and its coordinator until he left the Center in 1981 when it closed.
In 1981 Dr. Repa joined New York University's Metropolitan Center for Urban Education in order to continue his research interests in urban educational issues and continues to be on the staff today. Professor Repa was a trainer for Metro Center's Equity Assistance Center from 1981-1991, Associate Director from 1982-1991, and Deputy Director from 1991 to 2001. In 1996, he also became the Chair of the Technology Support Committee to the New York Technical Assistance Center (NYTAC), a Metro Center grant that provides assistance to schools to infuse technology into their teaching and learning. In 1998, he was part of the team that received a two year grant to assist New York City schools use better utilize data to design safe and drug free programs (New York City Safe and Drug Free Data Project). Upon his retirement from the professoriate in 2001, he became a senior advisor to the Center and Director of its Applied Research Unit.
In 1987 Professor Repa joined the faculty in the Educational Administration Program to focus his research, teaching, and service activities more directly on schools. He was immediately appointed Program Director and stayed in the position until 1991 when he assumed the Chair of the Department. He resigned as Chair effective January 2, 1998.
The major courses he teaches focus on leadership and decision-making and management and informational science in educational settings. His new course focuses on Management of Information Systems. He has published and made numerous presentations in these areas.
In 1996 Professor Repa received a grant from the Center for Advanced Technology at New York University to develop a multi-media physical science simulation for middle school students in which they also can practice their emotional intelligence skills (the Cave project). Professor Repa is working with Funderstanding, an instruction technology firm, to further work on the project. Out of his work with the Center for Advanced Technology, a new start up company was formed that focuses on a new way to create animination in movies and the net call Improv.
Professor Repa is active in numerous professional educational associations, having served as president of both the Collegiate Association for the Development of Educational Administration and the Metropolitan Council of Educational Administrators. He also has served as plenary representative to the University Council of Educational Administrators.
Dr. Repa served as Chair of the Chatsworth Elementary School Based Management Council, has been a school board member of the Mamaroneck Unified School District, is active in the Larchmont Avenue Church currently serving as an elder, and served as a youth soccer and basketball coach for seven years.
His wife, Betty, a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College (B.A) and Stanford University (M.A.) is retiring after 21 years in June of 2001 as a career middle school US. history teacher at Hommocks Middle School in the Mamaroneck Union Free School District. Before that she also taught in the Palo Alto School District at Gunn High School for four years. They have three children. Chris, a graduate of Princeton University in psychology (B.A.) and will receive his doctorate from the Center for Neuro-Science at New York University in October, 2001. He married Neot Doron, also a recent graduate of the Center for Neuro-Science doctoral program, in 2001. Carrie, who received her B.A. in sociology and M.A. in organizational studies from Stanford University in June, of 1996 and is now working as a human resource specialist for the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. Teddy, graduated from the University of Virginia as an economics major in May of 1998. He is receiving his masters degree and New York State teaching certificate in physical education at Teachers College, Columbia University in August of 2001 while he works as a personal trainer for Equinox Fitness Clubs. He will marry Michelle Daniele, a math teacher and graduate of Iona College, in August, 2001.
Revised: 5/31/2001