The Metro | Leadership

Janet Hollingsworth

Janet, who will serve as Director of the Fabrication Center, brings to The Metro decades of experience in maker education informed by a diverse background in structural engineering, woodworking, librarianship, and education. Janet co-founded BLDG 61, a nationally recognized makerspace at the Boulder Public Library in 2016, where she developed programs blending creative education, machine access, and social impact, serving over 25,000 patrons annually. Janet’s experience in leading efforts to give people of all backgrounds, ages, and skill levels access to creative technologies will inform her work as she seeks to enable community members to discover new pathways and address local challenges through the power of making.

Most recently, as Vice President of STEAM and Innovation at The Possible Zone, Janet advanced STEAM opportunities for high school students in Boston, bridging industry and research partnerships with organizations like MIT Media Lab, Harvard, Converse, National Grid, and more. At The Possible Zone, Janet oversaw the operations, programming, and strategic initiatives of the fabrication lab. A new local resident, she’s thrilled to be making the Hudson Valley her home.

Adrian Manuel

Dr. Adrian Manuel, a veteran educator and leader with over 25 years of experience transforming schools and pioneering new models of success, will serve as Project Director of The Metro. A Kingston native and proud alumnus of Kingston High School, Adrian began his career as a middle school social studies teacher in the Bronx. He later served as Principal of Kingston High School from 2011-2014. Over the past two decades, he has served in leadership roles across K-12 education, including as a principal, superintendent, and Head of School.

Throughout his career, Adrian has led high-performing schools that have achieved over 90% graduation rates in communities where most students come from low-income and high needs backgrounds—ensuring that the vast majority of graduates enroll in four-year colleges and universities. His work has directly contributed to creating pathways for generational economic mobility. His many years spent with young people have given him a comprehensive perspective on what helps them to learn and succeed.

Beyond his work in school leadership, Adrian has consulted with schools and businesses across the country and internationally, coaching them on innovative models that support the development of individuals from early childhood through the teenage years. Most recently, he founded CoLAB Education, a nonprofit dedicated to redesigning high schools for the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), project-based learning, and community-centered educational design. As the founding board chair, he led the design and launch of two new charter high schools in Connecticut, focused on community-based service learning, and cutting-edge pathways in biotechnology, social entrepreneurship, and digital arts. Dr. Manuel also serves as a board member at Poughkeepsie Day School, further contributing to the advancement of innovative and student-centered learning models. He lives in the Hudson Valley with his family.