ABOUT 

    Rob Wottawa is the Director of Art and Music for the East Islip School District, where he also coordinates ENL, World Languages, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Since 2015, Rob has championed the arts and supported inclusive education. Previously, he served as Department Chair of Art, Family & Consumer Sciences, and Music, and was the 9/10 Choral Director in Longwood Schools. He holds a Doctorate in Education from Long Island University, where he defended his dissertation on improving first-year teachers’ experiences.

Professionally, Rob chairs SAANYS Region 1, is a past President of NYSCAME, has presented at national conferences, and co-founded Long Island Education (LIE) to connect leaders and teachers through conferences. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at Five Towns College and LIU, guiding doctoral students and teaching research methods.

Rob’s passion for music began on Long Island and led him to a degree in classical guitar from Franklin Pierce College. He started out teaching multiple instruments at a local music store, which sparked his love for education. He taught general music, chorus, and band in Longwood Schools, where he also integrated technology and psychology into his lessons.

His leadership journey started with the Wallace Grant and a certificate in Educational Leadership from Stony Brook University, paving the way for department leadership and ongoing work to inspire positive change.

Outside of work, Rob enjoys life on Long Island with his wife and two daughters. Together they cook, bake, read, and share a love of music. In his spare time, he loves biking, running, and performing on various instruments — always striving to make his family proud.