Announcing New Board Chair and Three Newly Elected Members to the Fund’s Board of Directors
The Fund for Educational Excellence is pleased to announce the appointment of Beth Felder as Chair of the Fund’s Board of Directors. Beth, who joined the Fund’s Board in 2016, brings with her an extensive legal background, a deep understanding of local, state, and federal policy, and a dedication to improving student achievement in Baltimore City Public Schools. An active member of the community, Beth’s volunteer efforts focus on promoting arts and education, including serving as Co-Chair of the Heart of the Schools. The Fund’s officers will also include Vice Chairs Ilene Berman of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Jim Mathias of DLA Piper, Treasurer, Cinda Hughes of T. Rowe Price, and Secretary Dr. Maxine Wood, retired from the Johns Hopkins University.
Beth succeeds Betsy Nelson who has served as the Board Chair since 2016. We are incredibly grateful to Betsy for her years of service and shared commitment to ensuring an equitable and excellent education for all City Schools students. During her time as Chair, the Fund experienced significant growth. Betsy helped to oversee a strategic planning process, the expansion of the Board of Directors and served as one of the first Co-Chairs for the Heart of the Schools. We look forward to continuing to push for progress alongside Betsy as she will remain a member of the Fund’s Board of Directors. “Betsy has been a tremendous mentor, partner, and friend during her time as Chair of the Fund. I am filled with gratitude for the countless ways she has helped make the organization stronger,” said Roger Schulman, President and CEO of the Fund.
Additionally, the Fund is thrilled to welcome three new members to our board: Nancy Jordan-Howard, Arun Subhas, and Justin A. Redd. Each brings with them invaluable skills and perspectives, and a passion for Baltimore, learning and helping our students reach their potential. Read more in the Daily Record and check out the full press release on the Fund’s site, here.
Positive Response and Local Interest for our Latest Report, NOT IN SERVICE
Since the June release of our latest report NOT IN SERVICE, public response has been ardent and promising, with local media and community activists helping to spread the word about a pressing set of issues that will require cross-sector collaboration to reach resolutions. Check out our recent blog recapping media coverage of the report, here.
The interest our report has drawn over the last month has led to meaningful discussions with education and transit advocacy groups and leaders on the city and state level, including members of the US Congress, the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate, nonprofits, and universities. We are grateful for and welcome the opportunity to share the themes, findings, and recommendations from our new report with stakeholders across broader Baltimore and Maryland.
The full report is available at https://ffee.org/not-in-service/ Interested in learning more? Contact info@ffee.org to set up a report briefing.
Of Note:
Additional insights, updates and resources:
- We’re Hiring: The Fund is looking to add talent to our Fiscal Sponsorship Services team. If you know someone who is committed to providing excellent service to local groups seeking high-quality fiscal sponsorship services, please make them aware of this opportunity. Apply Here.
- The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners has openings for three new members — will you be one of them? Check out the recent information session for more detail, here. Apply by Friday, August 20, here.
- Check out the Teacher Appreciation Day segment on WYPR’s Midday with Tom Hall and listen to his conversations with four City Schools educators. Listen here.
- Axios takes a deep dive on inequity in U.S. education, exploring issues from taxes to racial injustice in a collection of essays on race and education.
- The #31DaysIBPOC series lifts up the voices and stories of 31 Indigenous, Black, and people of color in education.