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Boston, Feb. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ��ɫ��Ƶ, an education nonprofit that recruits young adults for a year of service in public schools, is excited to announce a new class of 13 executive directors who will lead our local markets across the United States. Over the past year, ��ɫ��Ƶ has completed a wide search to find the most qualified, committed and diverse group of executives, selecting the strongest leaders from a variety of mission-driven and youth-focused organizations to serve as the top leadership of our U.S. sites.

“As ��ɫ��Ƶ continues to strive to attract and cultivate leaders, staff and AmeriCorps members who reflect the rich perspectives of the students and communities we serve, we’re inspired by the talents, vision and passion of a new cohort of executive directors,” said ��ɫ��Ƶ Chief Equity Officer Stephen Spaloss. “We’re proud that among this group are several ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps member alums, a professional athlete, former principals in ��ɫ��Ƶ partner schools, and seasoned public sector, nonprofit and educational professionals.”

This year, 3,000 ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps members and staff are serving 226,000 students in 350 public schools across 29 U.S. cities, partnering with classroom teachers, supporting student academic, social and emotional growth, and helping to advance educational equity in systemically under-resourced communities.

“Our new executive directors are dedicated to the learning, development and well-being of both the students we serve in public schools as well as the extraordinary corps members who support them every day as student success coaches,” said ��ɫ��Ƶ Chief Operating Officer John Tupponce. “These leaders are attuned to the specific strengths, needs and contexts of the local communities they serve and believe in the power of partnerships and collaboration to expand opportunity for all young people and make lasting, positive change.”

Meet ��ɫ��Ƶ’s new cohort of executive directors:

John Albright, ��ɫ��Ƶ Denver Executive Director, is a mission-driven leader with 20 years of experience in public education, most recently with Denver Public Schools, focusing on student and family engagement, relationship management, organizational and team strategy, partnership cultivation and development, fundraising, communications, policy, and board management and development.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Jacksonville Executive Director, most recently served as the Managing Director of People, Operations and Strategy at ��ɫ��Ƶ Jacksonville and remains an engaged community steward, supporting organizations such as the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, TEDxJacksonville and the Women’s Giving Alliance.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ San José/Silicon Valley Executive Director, a lifelong team player, teacher and coach, began his career playing basketball for the NCAA and professionally in Israel as both player and coach before dedicating his career to the education sector. He most recently served as executive director at Bridge Academy International School in San Diego where he helped students develop their life and career goals.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Los Angeles Executive Director, previously served Los Angeles Unified School District as a field coordinator for Beyond the Bell, LAUSD’s before-school and afterschool program. Dr. Cano’s two decades in the field of education have allowed her to become intimately familiar with the communities served by ��ɫ��Ƶ Los Angeles.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Little Rock Executive Director, is an authentic, energetic, data-driven leader with more than 20 years of diverse experience in nonprofit communications, fundraising and marketing in organizations that advocate building capacity for the pediatric healthcare system as well as promoting educational equity in K-12 schools.

(��ɫ��Ƶ Columbia ‘07), ��ɫ��Ƶ Columbia Executive Director, who served as a ��ɫ��Ƶ Columbia AmeriCorps member, returns to the organization after serving as the Midlands Regional Vice President for Communities In Schools of South Carolina, where she advocated for children and families in the Midlands, strengthening partnerships with school districts, state agencies and local municipalities during the pandemic.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Memphis Executive Director, is the longest-serving staff member at ��ɫ��Ƶ Memphis, previously working as operations manager, development manager, development director and interim executive director. She began her ��ɫ��Ƶ career as an impact manager at ��ɫ��Ƶ Columbia and holds a B.A. in English from Spelman College and a M.A. in Public Relations and Advertising from DePaul University.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ New York Executive Director, joins the organization with extensive public service experience and a deep understanding of how New York City’s civic and business landscapes shape communities. Prior to his current role, Quamid served as Deputy Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and Chief Diversity Officer at the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS), where he oversaw agencywide programs, operations, strategic partnerships and legislative affairs.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Milwaukee Executive Director, is equipped with more than 20 years’ experience as an educational leader, teaching elementary and middle school students, serving as an assistant principal for 10 years, a principal for four years and the Director of School Turnaround for Milwaukee Public Schools. She holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University and is committed to elevating the gifts of the students, AmeriCorps members and team with whom she serves.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Seattle/King County Executive Director, has worked in public education in Washington State since 2009, including serving four years as a principal at a ��ɫ��Ƶ partner school and most recently as the Director of Special Education for Seattle Public Schools. Her doctoral work at the University of Washington was designed to equip equity-focused leaders to transform and re-envision educational systems.

, ��ɫ��Ƶ Greater Boston Executive Director, has spent 12 of her 20-year career in public urban education at Boston Public Schools (BPS) in various capacities—most recently as the Chief of Family and Community Advancement. Monica was born and raised in Boston, is a proud graduate of BPS, and serves on the board for the Boston Higher Education Resource Center and the Boston Education Fund.

(��ɫ��Ƶ Columbus ‘96), ��ɫ��Ƶ Columbus Executive Director, has over 25 years of nonprofit experience, which began as an AmeriCorps member in a Columbus City School fifth grade classroom. Adero is the recipient of Medical Mutual’s 2022 Pillar Award for Community Service, Executive Director of the Year as well as ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Comcast Leadership Award. He has participated in local and national leadership programs including the African American Leadership Academy, Ray Miller Institute for Change and Leadership, and Bank of America Emerging Leaders.

Jeff Shafer (��ɫ��Ƶ Chicago ’11, ‘12), ��ɫ��Ƶ Kansas City Executive Director, grew up attending Kansas City Public Schools and is a graduate of Lincoln College Preparatory Academy. He spent 10 years in Chicago, receiving a degree in marketing communications from Columbia College Chicago and serving with ��ɫ��Ƶ as an AmeriCorps member on the city’s South Side. For the last five years as ��ɫ��Ƶ Kansas City’s development director, Jeff has been responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of donor relationships and has exceeded the organization’s local fundraising goals.

During their year of full-time service in public schools, ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps members serve as student success coaches—near-peer tutors, mentors and role models who are powerfully positioned to support students’ holistic growth and help students to cultivate the skills, relationships and learning environments they need to succeed in school and in life. Nationally, schools with ��ɫ��Ƶ are two-to-three times more likely to improve on math and English assessments than similar schools without ��ɫ��Ƶ. Last year, 94% of partner principals agreed that ��ɫ��Ƶ has supported their schools’ transitions between in person and distance or hybrid learning during COVID-19, and 95% of partner principals and partner teachers say ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps members have supported the engagement and participation of students in school during the pandemic.

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About ��ɫ��Ƶ

��ɫ��Ƶ helps students and schools succeed, while preparing the next generation of civically engaged leaders who can work across lines of difference. Diverse teams of ��ɫ��Ƶ AmeriCorps members provide holistic support to students, classrooms and the whole school. A 2020 study shows that the more time students spend with AmeriCorps members, the more they improve on social, emotional and academic skills— skills that help students thrive in school and contribute to their community.

A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by AmeriCorps, local school districts and private philanthropy. ��ɫ��Ƶ partners with public schools in 29 communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and South Africa. Learn more about ��ɫ��Ƶ:

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