Central Administration Executive Team

Harold A. Coles, Psy. D., was named District Superintendent in August 2013. He joined SWBOCES in the summer of 2011 as Assistant Superintendent for Regional Services in the fall of 2011. 

Dr. Coles formerly served as Superintendent of Schools at the Greenburgh Abbott Union Free School District , a special act school district in Irvington, N.Y. He also served for five years as director of pupil personnel services at the Greenburgh Central 7 School District, and for five years as a school psychologist and coordinator at the Biondi Education Center adolescent day school at Leake and Watts Inc. in Yonkers. He has also taught as an adjunct professor at Lehman College.

As District Superintendent, Dr. Coles oversees the agency's work with component school districts, meets regularly with the region's superintendents, and serves as the New York State Education Commissioner's representative in the Southern Westchester region.

The district superintendent and chief operating officer at Southern Westchester BOCES head up an educational organization that employs roughly 1,000 teachers, administrators, and other professionals. SWBOCES provides more than 65 educational programs and services to students, teachers, administrators, and the general public in career and technical education, special education, adult education, and professional development for teachers. 
 
It serves 32 component school districts in southern Westchester County and operates with a budget of $182 million. 

Brendan Lyons, Ed.D, was appointed Chief Operating Officer/Deputy District Superintendent in the summer of 2022. He is a veteran educator with deep roots in the Hudson Valley. He began his career teaching high school social studies in the Arlington Central School District in Dutchess County before moving on to positions there as high school assistant principal, middle school principal, and high school executive principal. After attaining his Doctorate of Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University, he was named Deputy Superintendent in Arlington and in 2013 became Superintendent of Schools, a role he held for seven years. Most recently he served as Superintendent in the Lakeland Central School District, a similarly large district bordering Westchester and Putnam counties.

It was his experience as a leader of complex educational organizations, combined with his passion for ensuring all students receive a well-rounded, engaging and equitable educational experience, that attracted him to Southern Westchester BOCES. Dr. Lyons brings an analytic approach to problem-solving and a demonstrated commitment to the success and well-being of students and staff. He believes in the importance of collaboration, teamwork and modeling effective practice, emphasizing professional learning as well as mentoring and coaching current and future education leaders. In addition to his doctoral degree, Dr. Lyons holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s from SUNY New Paltz.