Leaders from education, philanthropy, place-based partnerships and justice join national organization
CINCINNATI – StriveTogether, the largest national network of place-based partnerships, is expanding its board of directors with four new members. These new members are leaders in the fields of education, philanthropy, place-based partnerships and justice.
StriveTogether is a network of community organizations that join together neighbors, including youth and families, nonprofits, businesses, schools and more, to work toward a future where youth can thrive in their shared communities. Joining the StriveTogether board of directors are:
Tomi Hiers, vice president of the Center for Civic Sites and Community Change at The Annie E. Casey Foundation. There, she oversees the Foundation’s place-based investments, including significant neighborhood transformation initiatives in Atlanta and Baltimore.
Samantha Mellerson, executive director at the Haywood Burns Institute. BI is a national nonprofit working to transform the administration of justice and other human services sectors.
Rob Watson, inaugural executive director of the Harvard EdRedesign Lab and lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He leads an interdisciplinary team supporting over 70 communities to develop cradle-to-career systems of opportunity, and presides over EdRedesign’s talent development offerings and collaborative action efforts.
Todd Williams, founding chairman and CEO of The Commit Partnership. A member of the Cradle to Career Network, Commit is a collective impact organization composed of hundreds of partners across Dallas County and Texas.
“Our newest board members share StriveTogether’s belief that every child — regardless of race, ethnicity or zip code — should have every opportunity to succeed,” said President and CEO Jennifer Blatz. “The leadership of our board is key to achieving our 2030 vision of putting 4 million more young people on a path to economic mobility.”
Four of StriveTogether’s board members have formal roles within the Cradle to Career Network, giving them unique insights into the innovative work happening in communities across the country. Russell Booker, Richard Raya and Todd Williams lead place-based partnerships in the Network, and Rob Watson is the founding board chair of a place-based partnership.
Board members serve three-year terms. Learn more about StriveTogether’s board here.
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About StriveTogether
StriveTogether is a national network of 70 communities working to build a future where a child’s potential is not dictated by race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. The organization provides coaching, resources and rigorous approaches to create opportunities and eliminate inequities in education, housing and more. Together, the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network reaches 14 million youth — including 8 million children of color and one in five children experiencing poverty. For more information about StriveTogether, visit StriveTogether.org.