yeo education policy academy program book

December 6-9, 2012Los Angeles, California

Welcome

The Wasserman Foundation is dedicated to funding and partnering with organizations

that ensure all children receive the quality education they deserve to compete in a global economy.

I’m proud to welcome the Young Elected Officials Network to Los Angeles and support its

investment in the future of education.

-Casey WassermanPresident & CEO, Wasserman Foundation

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Welcome

Dear Young Elected Officials,

Welcome to Los Angeles! We are delighted to have you all here at the 2012 YEO Network Education Policy Academy.

A thriving education system is a fundamental cornerstone of our society, contributing to the success of our youth and the strength of our nation. We are thrilled to bring together so many YEOs to engage in much-needed discourse on issues of education reform. This Policy Academy is a chance for you to collaborate with issue experts and community practitioners and foster policies that reflect your progressive values. I offer a heartfelt thanks to Casey Wasserman and the Wasserman Foundation for underwriting this Academy and making this opportunity for collaboration possible.

The YEO Network has flourished to include almost 700 young, progressive, dedicated and hardworking elected officials across the country. All of you work vigorously to champion equality and enhance opportunity, and your energy propels this nation forward. We hope that during these three days, you can unite with other hard-working progressive elected leaders, exchange ideas with education policy experts, and use what you learn to help empower your communities. As the next generation prepares to enter the workforce, it is essential that we invest in your future and make sure that you have the skills and resources to prosper. Our society can only benefit from your knowledge and ingenuity.

Your commitment to progressive ideals is inspirational; I’m confident that with your leadership our nation’s brightest days are still ahead. Thank you for being here, and for taking part in an essential dialogue about the future of education. All of us at People For the American Way Foundation are looking forward to watching you use what you learn this weekend to make a powerful difference in your communities.

Sincerely,

Michael KeeganPresident, People For the American Way Foundation

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Welcome

Welcome to the 2012 YEO Network Education Policy Academy. It is with great pride that we bring together young elected officials (YEOs), issue experts, and community practitioners to engage in important dialogue and share their expertise and resources on the issues YEOs care about most.

The Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network, a program of People For the American Way Foundation, has been heralded by the Obama administration as a key group that will contribute to the national debate on the future of education reform. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has convened several of our state legislators

to discuss the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Secretary Duncan spoke at the 2011 YEO National Convening about our current education system, and met with YEOs from all levels of government to discuss local, state, and federal educational policy initiatives.

YEOs can serve as leaders on the issue of education reform, but to participate in the national discussion they need access to research and tools to develop effective policies that reflect their progressive values. This is why we gather our membership for Policy Academies: to bring together a targeted group of YEOs for a powerful weekend of advanced policy analysis and dialogue, with the goal of educating and

equipping state and community leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to address pressing policy issues.

As you embark on this three-day experience, I encourage you to soak in the information shared by our strategic partner organizations, challenge yourselves to learn and think critically about specific interconnections with this topic, and become the agents of change your communities need to reflect the values of freedom, fairness, and opportunity for all.

If there is anything that we can do to enhance your Policy Academy experience, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We look forward to a productive weekend and a continued relationship as we support the work of this incredible generation of leaders.

Again, welcome!

Yours in service,

Andrew D. GillumExecutive Director, Young Elected Officials NetworkCity Commissioner, Tallahassee, FL

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About the Yeo NetWork

The Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network is the first and only organization exclusively serving progressive young elected officials. Our mission is to unite and support leaders age 35 and under who share a passion for building communities that reflect the values of freedom, fairness, and opportunity for all.

Young elected officials between the ages of 18 and 35 represent fewer than five percent of all elected leaders in the United States. Yet these YEOs play an important role in shaping the public agenda and political debates, and they control billions of dollars that move through the hands of local, state, and national governments. Importantly, their ability to become elected at an early age is a major indicator of their futures in higher elected offices.

The YEO Network lets YEOs know they are not alone; our membership stands at almost 700 young elected officials, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and representing more than 20 million voters. These YEOs come from diverse backgrounds, represent many demographic groups, and hold seats in bodies ranging from state legislatures to local school boards. Their experiences and stories share a theme – they have overcome great odds to become progressive elected officials, and they continue to face challenges as they work to protect and advance our nation’s core democratic values.

The YEO Network is here to support them. We aim to help propel young electeds successfully along their path to becoming effective public servants. By exchanging ideas, networking with like-minded elected officials, developing leadership skills, and connecting with policy development organizations and think tanks, members are empowered to transform their political vision into action. The YEO Network provides several support mechanisms to the young officials, with the ultimate goal of producing an enduring pipeline of progressive, well-prepared national and world-class leaders.

Build a Nationwide NetworkMost of the YEOs in the Network find their biggest challenge in office is developing appropriate connections to help them become effective leaders. By connecting with their peers and with strategic partner organizations, members of the YEO Network expand their range of innovative solutions and become more confident putting forth their ideas. The Network provides extensive networking opportunities, including at conferences and through our web site, newsletter, and social media.

Provide Policy Support and ResourcesYEOs are agents of change, but they often do not have easy access to the information they need to develop effective policies that reflect their progressive values. The YEO Network works to leverage the tremendous investments made in non-profit policy organizations by linking YEOs to these organizations’ resources, research, sample policies, and technical assistance. The collaboration with other organizations also allows YEOs to build relationships and become better integrated into the larger public policy network.

Leadership DevelopmentYEOs share a need for continued training in a wide range of skills and issue areas. The Network continuously develops training modules included in conferences, summits, and teleconferences. These workshops help YEOs develop their skills in messaging, media, communications, coalition building, artful debate, and more. In addition, the YEO Network and its sister program, Young People For, work together in a dynamic relationship that supports young leaders, both on campus and in elected office, through a vibrant and effective pipeline of leadership development.

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About our PArtNers

The Wasserman FoundationThe Wasserman Foundation is a private family foundation dedicated to funding organizations that help children receive a quality education, provide citizens with high quality health care, foster arts and culture, and work to meet global challenges. The Foundation is driven by the interests and passions of the Wasserman Family. Among their guiding principles, the Foundation believes that every child has a right to a quality education and that education leads to economic opportunity and advancement. In 2011, the Foundation awarded $4 million for an online program (DonorsChooseLA.org) in Los Angeles that allowed teachers to solicit donations to fund classroom projects. More than 8,000 classroom projects and 250,000 students in the Los Angeles Unified School District benefitted from this donation. The Foundation is a major funder of LAUSD.

The Broad FoundationsFounded by self-made entrepreneur Eli Broad and his wife Edythe, both graduates of Detroit Public Schools, The Broad Foundations, which include The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and The Broad Art Foundation, work to advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science, and the arts. The Broad Foundations have assets of $2.1 billion. The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation seeks to ensure that every student in an urban public school has the opportunity to succeed. Bringing together top education experts and practitioners, the foundation funds system-wide programs and policies that strengthen public schools by creating environments that allow good teachers to do great work and enable students of all backgrounds to learn and thrive. Eli and Edythe Broad also make significant contributions to advance major scientific and medical research, foster public appreciation of contemporary art by increasing access for audiences worldwide, and contribute to major civic projects in Los Angeles.

National Education AssociationCreated in 1857, the National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA’s 3.2 million members work at every level of education, from pre-school to university graduate programs. They also offer programs for retired educators, students, and administrators. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States. NEA believes every student in America, regardless of family income or place of residence, deserves a quality education. In pursuing its mission, NEA has determined that they will focus the energy and resources of their members on improving the quality of teaching, increasing student achievement and making schools safer, better places to learn.

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Emerson CollectiveEmerson Collective understands that change is often a very slow process, so they invest their time, energy, and resources in people who blend optimism with pragmatism, people who have the audacity to dream up new ways to improve the world and the determination to make them a reality. Emerson is continually amazed by what’s possible when you harness the entrepreneurial spirit and the kinds of meaningful outcomes that result from an impatience with the status quo. They connect talent to opportunity by partnering with organizations, empowering individuals and advocating for fair and equitable social policies. They work with a range of entrepreneurs to advance domestic and international social reform efforts, making strategic investments in results-driven education reform ventures. Emerson believes in accelerating change however they can.

The Goldhirsh FoundationThe Goldhirsh Foundation believes the world is brimming with social innovators whose ideas can shape our region and change the world. The Goldhirsh Foundation has been making grants for almost a decade, but was re-launched in 2012 in Los Angeles, where the majority of their grant-making occurs. The Foundation awards grants on an invitation-only basis during three cycles each year. They support social innovation efforts across three areas: opportunity, sustainability, and activation. Goldhirsh works to identify the brightest emerging talent and give them the tools to best support their success. They connect the dots between the best emerging innovations and the financial, social, and human capital to make them thrive.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America. Focused on uniting workers in three sectors to improve their lives and the services they provide, SEIU is the largest healthcare union, the largest property services union, and the second largest public services union, with 2.1 million members united across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. For 90 years, SEIU has held a commitment to building a fair economy, providing workers a voice on the job, fighting for equality and ensuring that all working people can live with dignity. SEIU is also the nation’s most diverse union; 56 percent of SEIU members are women, and some 40 percent are people of color. SEIU represents more immigrant workers than any other union in the United States. There are more than 150 SEIU local union affiliates and more than 15 state councils across North America.

About our PArtNers

Policy AcAdemy AgendA

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PolicY AcAdemY AgeNdA

Thursday, december 61:00 PM – 5:00 PM Registration and Check-In Open

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Welcome and Opening Reception

Friday, december 78:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast PlenaryThe State of Education in America Keynote Speaker: Joanne Weiss, United States Department of Education

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Session 1Policy Action Plans & Goals: Part 1YEOs will be presented with an overview of the sessions being offered, the goals of the weekend and the initial instructions on how to create their own Policy Action Plans. Facilitators: Andrew Gillum, YEO Network Dawn Huckelbridge, YEO Network Conor Hurley, YEO Network

10:15 AM – 11:45 AM Session 2The Fight for Public Education: Funding, School Choice and Accountability Moderator: Diallo Brooks, People For the American Way Foundation Panelists: John Jackson, Schott Foundation for Public Education Deborah McGriff, NewSchools Venture Fund Marco Petruzzi, Green Dot Public Schools

educaTion Policy academydecember 6-9, 2012

los angeles, caliFornia

W Hollywood Hotel6250 Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 798-1300

2nd Floor Foyer

Drai’s Hollywood; W Hotel Top Level

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12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch Panel Plenary Learning 2.0: Using Technology to Build a 21st Century Education Moderator: Marlon McWilson, Alameda County Office of Education Speaker: Salman Khan, Khan Academy Panelists: Charlie Bufalino, Rocketship Education Judy Burton, Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Session 3 Creating Wrap-Around Communities: The Impact of Community Schools Moderator: Janet Chin, Garvey School District Panelists: Martin Blank, Coalition for Community Schools Melvin Carter, City Council, St. Paul, MN Hayin Kim, San Francisco Unified School District Marshall Tuck, Mayor’s Partnership for LA Schools

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Session 4Changing the Rules of the Game: Engaging Parents, Teachers and Citizens Moderator: Ben Allen, Santa Monica-Malibu School Board Panelists: Maisie Chin, CADRE Ama Nyamekye, Educators 4 Excellence Mike Trujillo, Parent Revolution Nicole Velasquez, DonorsChoose.org

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Dinner Plenary The Urgency of Now: A Conversation about the Future of Public Education in America Keynote Speaker: Michael Johnston, Colorado State Senator

saTurday, december 89:00 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast Plenary

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM YEO Breakouts and Strategy Session Facilitators: Andrew Gillum, YEO Network Dawn Huckelbridge, YEO Network Conor Hurley, YEO Network

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10:45 AM – 12:15 PM Session 5Student and Parent Accountability: Testing, Discipline and Engagement Moderator: Dwight Bullard, Florida State Senate Panelists: Arnie Fege, Public Education Network Edward Hailes, Advancement Project Matt Hill, Los Angeles Unified School District

12:30 PM – 1:45 PM Lunch Plenary Speaker: Norman Lear, Founder, People For the American Way, People For the American Way Foundation

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Session 6Rethinking Teacher Evaluation: Creating Modern Benchmarking for our Schools Moderator: Liz Willen, Hechinger Institute for Education, Columbia University Panelists: Jean Desravines, New Leaders Drew Furedi, Los Angeles Unified School District Joshua Pechthalt, California Federation of Teachers and American Federation of Teachers Dean Vogel, California Teachers Association

3:45 PM – 6:00 PM Session 7 Messaging and Media Presence: Talking about Education Trainers: Victor Abalos, JVA Group Ed Coghlan, JVA Group

sunday, december 99:00 AM – 10:00 AM Breakfast PlenaryBringing Students to the Table: How Student Involvement in School Administration Can Improve Public Education Speaker: Carlos Rojas, Boston Student Advisory Council

10:15 AM – 11:45 AM Session 8Policy Action Plans & Goals: Part 2YEO Network staff will facilitate this interactive session that will allow YEOs to work on their Community Action Plans, and identify specific policies or issues they will work on throughout the year. Facilitators: Andrew Gillum, YEO Network Dawn Huckelbridge, YEO Network Conor Hurley, YEO Network

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch PlenaryEducation in Los Angeles: Innovations, Challenges and Reflections Speaker: John Deasy, Los Angeles Unified School District

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sessioNs ANd trAiNers

FridAY breAkFAst PleNArY:The STaTe of educaTion in americaThe opening keynote will offer an overview of the national landscape and the administration’s plans for public education in America. This session will cover the successes of education reform and the areas where more work is still needed.Keynote Speaker: Joanne Weiss, United States Department of Education

Joanne WeissJoanne Weiss is Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. She joined the Department in 2009 to serve as Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Director of the Race to the Top Fund. The Department’s $4.35B Race to the Top program was designed to encourage and reward states making strides in comprehensive and cohesive education reform. Weiss was previously a Partner and COO at NewSchools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy firm working to transform public education by supporting education entrepreneurs and connecting their work to systemic change. She was co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and before that, Vice President of Products and Technologies at Academic Systems, a company that helps under-prepared college students succeed in mathematics and writing. Joanne has spent much of her career pioneering innovative work to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes. She holds a degree in biochemistry from Princeton University.

sessioN:The fighT for Public educaTion: funding, School choice and accounTabiliTy As is clear from studies over the last decade, low-income students are much less likely than their more affluent peers to receive a challenging and fulfilling education. In this session, panelists will address the disparity of resources in rich and poor communities and the possible solutions to this growing divide. The session will allow YEOs to engage in a broad discussion of school choice and accountability, focusing specifically on charter schools, privatization of education, school funding and school equity. Moderator: Diallo Brooks, People For the American Way FoundationPanelists: John Jackson, Schott Foundation for Public Education Deborah McGriff, NewSchools Venture Fund Marco Petruzzi, Green Dot Public Schools

Diallo BrooksDiallo Brooks has over 15 years of non-profit management experience working with national and state leaders to enhance social justice missions through leadership development training, project management and technical assistance. In his current position as Director of Field Mobilization at People For the American Way, Brooks works to engage PFAW’s various networks, membership and partners in key program activities related to the organizations mission. Prior to joining PFAW, Brooks was the Field Director for The Education Trust, Director of Legislator Relations for the Center for Policy Alternatives and Client Services Coordinator for Millennium Communications Group. Brooks also has served as Co-Chair and national spokesman for Black Youth Vote (BYV!) and is a current executive board member of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. Brooks has provided trainings for numerous non-profits, state elected officials and other institutions in the areas of values based leadership development and organization management. Brooks is also a founding partner at Momentum Strategies, LLC., a strategic consulting firm.

Friday, december 7

SeSSionS and TrainerS

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John JacksonOn July 2, 2007, Dr. John H. Jackson became the President and CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education. In this role, Jackson leads the Foundation’s efforts to ensure a high quality public education for all students regardless of race or gender. Jackson has served in several leadership positions at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) including Chief Policy Officer. In 1999, President Clinton appointed Jackson to serve in his administration as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education. In 2004, Jackson founded the National

Equity Center Inc., a national non-profit established to promote diversity and democratic values by providing youth with leadership, academic, research and advocacy skills to eliminate existing local and national civil rights and social justice disparities. Jackson has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Education in Education Policy from the University of Illinois’ College of Education, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois’ College of Law. In addition, Jackson received a Master of Education and Doctorate of Education in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Deborah McGriffDeborah McGriff has worked for almost four decades to transform the lives of underserved urban school students. Currently, she is president of the Education Industry Association, an association of providers of education services; a member of the Advisory Board of the National Council on Teacher Quality; a founder and national board member of the Black Alliance for Educational Options; and a member of the Advisory Board of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is also a partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, where she works on investment

strategy and quality teaching. In 1993, after years of working as an administrator for public school systems in Detroit, Cambridge, Milwaukee, and New York, she became the first public school superintendent to join EdisonLearning (formerly Edison Schools), where she held numerous positions, including president of Edison Teachers College and executive vice president of charter schools. She has a Bachelor’s degree in education with a minor in history from Norfolk State University, a Master’s degree in education, with a specialization in ready pedagogy from Queens College of the City University of New York, and a Doctorate in administration, policy, and urban education from Fordham University.

Marco PetruzziMarco Petruzzi is the CEO of Green Dot Public Schools. During his tenure, Green Dot won Los Angeles School Board approval to rejuvenate Locke High School in Watts and began operating it in fall 2008, restructuring it into eight smaller, college-prep schools. Green Dot established itself as a leading agent of reform, creating a world-class school and instructional leadership model as well as an efficient central office to support the schools in accounting, human resources, knowledge management, information technology, and real estate development. The Locke Transformation Project is the realization of Petruzzi’s work on

Green Dot’s Board of Directors, where he served from 2002 until 2006, in which he led a pro bono Bain & Company consulting project to develop a model for the transformation of overcrowded, under-performing urban public schools. Prior to joining Green Dot, Petruzzi founded r3 school solutions, an organization that provided management and administrative services to charter management organizations. Prior to that, he was a Partner at Bain & Company. Petruzzi has 15 years of consulting experience working with top management of major international groups.


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FridAY luNch PleNArY: learning 2.0: uSing Technology To build a 21ST cenTury educaTion This plenary and panel will focus on the changing face of education and the important role of technology in the development of new and innovative educational pedagogies. Too many students around the globe don’t have access to good educational materials, or are forced to learn through a system that doesn’t properly cater to their individual needs. Panelists for this session are innovative educational professionals who believe the technology that exists today can fundamentally change our public education system. YEOs will be presented with strategies designed to harness the power of the technological revolution for public education.Moderator: Marlon McWilson, Alameda County Office of EducationSpeaker: Salman Khan, Khan AcademyPanelists: Charlie Bufalino, Rocketship Education Judy Burton, Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools

Salman KhanSalman Khan is the founder of Khan Academy, an online repository of free educational materials and over 3,000 videos providing world-class information on many subjects, “providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.” Khan received his MBA from Harvard Business School where he was president of the student body. He also holds a Master’s in electrical engineering and computer science, a BS in electrical engineering and computer science, and a BS in mathematics from MIT where he was president of the Class of 1998. While at MIT, he was a recipient of the Eloranta Fellowship which he used to develop web-based math software for children with ADHD. He was also an MCAT instructor for the Princeton Review and volunteer taught gifted fourth and seventh graders at the Devotion School in Brookline, MA.

Charlie BufalinoCharlie Bufalino is Rocketship’s National Development Associate. Bufalino helps drive Rocketship’s external relations, communications, advocacy, and overall national expansion efforts as Rocketship continues to grow toward 50 cities by 2020. Previously, he was Rocketship’s Online Learning Specialist, researching new online curricula, conducting trials of new programs, and pushing vendors to make enhancements to their programs to better meet Rocketship’s students’ needs. Bufalino has worked with many K-5 online vendors throughout the edtech industry and collaborated with other blended learning operators. Before starting at Rocketship, he was a student at Pomona College where he graduated with honors and a BA in History in 2010. He was drawn to Rocketship’s mission of closing the achievement gap due to his concern with the systemic effects of poverty on society, and education’s role in alleviating these ills.

Judy BurtonJudy Burton is the President of the Alliance of College-Ready Public Schools. A major emphasis in her work has been improving student achievement for all students, with particular focus on students of poverty in underachieving communities. She has successfully impacted students at risk through best practices in leadership development, teacher professional development, and parent community engagement. She launched the Alliance College-Public Schools, a non-profit charter management organization whose mission is to open and operate a network of high performing middle and high schools in California. Burton succeeded in opening the first high school in 2004 and has grown the network to 14 high schools and six middle schools in 2011. All Alliance schools are in high poverty historically underperforming communities and 100 percent are significantly outperforming nearby neighboring schools. Four Alliance high schools are 2009 California Distinguished Schools and three are currently performing among the top 10 high schools in LAUSD based on the California Academic Performance Index. 100 percent of students in the first Alliance graduating class passed the CA High School Exit Exam and 97 were accepted to four-year colleges.


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sessioN: creaTing WraP-around communiTieS: The imPacT of communiTy SchoolSIn this session, YEOs will explore the concept, application and impact of the community school model of education reform. This session will offer both an in-depth discussion of community schools, the services they provide, the results they have garnered around the country and the related federal, state and local policy landscape. The panel will additionally discuss the practical challenges to implementing community schools.Moderator: Janet Chin, Garvey School DistrictPanelists: Martin Blank, Coalition for Community Schools, Institute for Educational Leadership Melvin Carter, City Council, St. Paul, MN Hayin Kim, San Francisco Unified School District Marshall Tuck, Mayor’s Partnership for LA Schools

Martin BlankMartin J. Blank is the President of the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) in Washington, DC. He leads IEL in its efforts to build the capacity of people, organizations and systems - in education and related fields - to cross boundaries and work together to attain better results for children and youth. Blank has been associated with IEL since 1985, focusing his work on building bridges between schools and other institutions with assets that can support student success. Blank also serves as the Director of the Coalition for Community Schools, which is staffed by IEL. The Coalition is an alliance that brings together leaders

and organizations in education, family support, youth development in early childhood, community development, government and philanthropy. Partners advocate for schools as centers of their communities where school and community resources are organized to support student success, strengthen families and build healthier communities. He has a B.A. from Columbia University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and served as a VISTA Volunteer in the Missouri Bootheel.

Melvin CarterA native of Minnesota, Melvin Carter represents Ward 1 on the Saint Paul City Council. Carter became engaged in electoral politics after his brother was turned away from a Florida polling precinct in 2000. Elected to the Council in 2007, he has championed the achievement gap and transit equity as top priorities. He has led comprehensive, grassroots education reform through the creation of the Frogtown/Summit-University Community Investment Campus. This Partnership between city, county, school, and community leaders was designed to support high quality education outcomes for all children. One year after its launch, this initiative

was awarded a highly competitive federal Promise Neighborhoods Grant to continue this work on a larger scale as the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood. Carter holds a BA in Business Administration from Florida A&M University, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Hayin KimHayin Kim serves as the Director of Community Schools for the San Francisco Unified School District. In that role, she works with district, city, and community leadership to clarify and create systems and practices that support a comprehensive whole-community model of high quality teaching and learning. Kim is a trained educational researcher and evaluator, with a focus on community based programs and partnerships that support healthy development of youth and their communities. While at the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University, she co-facilitated the evaluation of multiple

community and school-based initiatives with an emphasis on collaborative, theory-based, qualitative research methods that engaged community partners in San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties. Previously, Kim has worked with the Emery Unified School District, the Coalition for Community Schools and the Children’s Aid Society’s Community Schools initiative. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Amherst College, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University School of Education.


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Marshall TuckMarshall Tuck is the CEO of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, the largest non-district operator of schools within the city. He first joined Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s staff in 2007 to help lead the effort to improve public education for all children in Los Angeles. The Partnership manages 22 of the most underserved schools in Los Angeles. Prior to joining the Mayor’s office, Tuck was President and COO of Green Dot Public Schools, one of the leading operators of charter schools in the country. At Green Dot, he led a team of 250 employees that operated 10 charter high schools in some of the highest need areas of Los Angeles. During Tuck’s time at Green Dot, students at all Green Dot schools outperformed their peers at comparable schools, in terms of both academic achievement and graduation rates. Prior to Green Dot, Tuck was the General Manager of the Strategic Accounts group at Model N, a successful enterprise software company, where he led a division focused on opening new markets. Marshall has also worked as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers and as a volunteer teacher in Zimbabwe and Thailand. Marshall graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA and received an MBA from Harvard Business School.

sessioN: changing The ruleS of The game: engaging ParenTS, TeacherS and ciTizenS This session focuses on innovative approaches that engage and utilize the power of constituencies that are often left out of the conversation on education reform. Featuring a panel of dynamic and diverse educators, non-profit leaders and social entrepreneurs, this session will discuss sophisticated and cutting edge community organizing techniques that help to mobilize parents, teachers and ordinary citizens in the process of improving and governing public education. The panel will draw on real-life examples and experiences from the innovators and idea generators themselves, and will help YEOs understand how they can change the game in their own communities. Moderator: Ben Allen, Santa Monica-Malibu School BoardPanelists: Maisie Chin, CADRE Ama Nyamekye, Educators 4 Excellence Mike Trujillo, Parent Revolution Nicole Velasquez, DonorsChoose.org

Maisie ChinMaisie Chin is Co-Founder and Director of CADRE (Community Asset Development Re-defining Education), an independent, grassroots parent membership organization in South Los Angeles. Launched in 2001, CADRE’s mission is to solidify and advance parent leadership to ensure that all children are rightfully educated regardless of where they live. Through human rights-based community organizing and policy advocacy, CADRE parent leaders are fighting to end the push-out of low-income families of color from public schools and the school-to-prison pipeline. Recently in February 2007, CADRE’s parent-led Right to Education Campaign achieved a major victory when its human rights documentation, people’s hearing, advocacy, and media work helped ensure the Los Angeles Unified School District’s passage of a new district-wide school discipline policy based on Positive Behavior Support. Chin is a native Californian and child of Asian immigrants. She has been part of the educational and social justice movement for 15 years, dedicated to fighting institutional racism by protecting and transforming public education in low-income neighborhoods of color. She also has 18 years of experience in facilitation, training, and organizational development. Chin holds both a Bachelor’s of Arts in History and a Master’s of Arts in Urban Planning – Community Development from the University of California, Los Angeles.


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Ama NyamekyeAma Nyamekye is the Los Angeles Executive Director of Educators 4 Excellence Los Angeles (E4E), a teacher-led and student-focused organization with chapters in New York and Los Angeles and more than 7,000 members nationwide. Prior to launching the Los Angeles chapter of E4E in November of 2011, Nyamekye taught in the prison and public school systems where she saw the clear link between public education and social justice. She founded Rose from Concrete, a program currently operating at The City School in Boston and serving court-involved youth. She also launched Turn the Page, a project

to strengthen libraries at 16 California prisons. An education blogger on the Huffington Post, Nyamekye was named one of Education Week’s Next Generation Education Leaders. She holds a Masters in Teaching from Pace University and a Masters in Strategic Communications from Columbia University.

Mike TrujilloMichael Trujillo has worked on local, state, and federal campaigns across the country. He has served as a campaign director, spokesperson, and campaign manager for various causes and elected officials in the last 12 years. Currently, he is the national advocacy director for Parent Revolution’s effort to pass their parent empowerment bill “Parent Trigger” across the nation. His first stint in politics was as the youngest City Commissioner in Los Angeles history, appointed by then-Mayor Richard Riordan to the Commission on Children, Youth, and their Families at the age of 18. He has been a Villaraigosa operative on and off for 12

years – he has also served a public policy director for Actor/Director Rob Reiner during his push across California to provide universal preschool. He has worked on 26 political campaigns in the last 12 years including three presidential races. His last presidential campaign included being a senior staffer to Senator Clinton in California, Texas, and North Carolina. It was during this campaign that MSNBC named him “Part of the Clinton Dream Team.” He currently resides in downtown Los Angeles.

Nicole VelasquezAt DonorsChoose.org, Nicole Velasquez is responsible for executing and building successful partnerships with corporations, foundations, and individuals in the 14-state West Region. Previously she managed development and fundraising at Common Sense Media, a national non-profit focused on improving the media landscape for children and families. She also served as an English language teacher in Choongnam province in South Korea. Velasquez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Rice University in Houston, Texas. In her spare time she volunteers with Girls on the Run, the San Francisco Bicycle

Coalition, and is a member of Rice University’s Centennial Commission.

FridAY diNNer PleNArY:The urgency of noW: a converSaTion abouT The fuTure of Public educaTion in americaThis plenary will feature a conversation about the importance of vision, leadership and action in the fight to reform public education. The pressing need to find solutions and ideas for a new direction in public education makes this landscape conversation about the future all the more important.Keynote Speaker: Michael Johnston, Colorado State Senator


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Michael JohnstonBefore joining the Colorado State Senate, Michael Johnston was an educator and served as an education policy adviser to campaigns around the country, most recently as a top education advisor to President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and transition. He is the co-founder of New Leaders, a national non-profit that recruits and trains urban principals, and serves on the boards of a number of national and local community organizations. During his first year in office, Johnston championed the Great Teachers and Leaders Law (SB-190), groundbreaking legislation that alters teacher evaluations by measuring student growth. In 2011, TIME Magazine ranked him among the “Top 40 under 40 Rising Political Stars,” and Forbes Magazine’s listed him as one of the “7 Most Influential Educators” in 2010. His work in education began when Johnston became a high school English teacher in Mississippi through the Teach for America program. Based on this experience, he wrote “In the Deep Heart’s Core,” which describes the challenges he faced teaching in one of our country’s most poverty-stricken areas. After earning a Master’s degree in education and a law degree, Senator Johnston returned to Colorado and started his career as a principal leading two alternative high schools serving students held in state custody or living in group homes and detention centers. In 2005, he became the founding principal of MESA (Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts), a redesigned urban high school in the Mapleton Public Schools that made Colorado history by becoming the first public high school in which 100 percent of seniors were admitted to four-year colleges.

Casey WassermanCasey Wasserman is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wasserman Media Group, a leading sports and entertainment agency he founded in 2002. The company’s global practice encompasses athlete management, corporate consulting, media rights and partnerships. Wasserman also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Wasserman Foundation, his family’s private charitable organization. He serves on the boards of New York University, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation and is a Trustee of The William J. Clinton Foundation. Earlier in his career, Wasserman acquired the Los Angeles Avengers, then part of the Arena Football League, and became the youngest owner of a professional sports team in history. During this time he was elected league chairman and served on the executive committee. Wasserman holds a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA and is based in Los Angeles with his family.

sessioN: STudenT and ParenT accounTabiliTy: TeSTing, diSciPline and engagemenT High-stakes standardized tests and zero-tolerance policies in public schools have created a direct school-to-prison pipeline for many students with disabilities, low-income students and students of color. Disadvantaged students are being disproportionately forced out of their schools, whether by overly harsh punishments for their infractions or by being held back by standardized tests. The No Child Left Behind Act has made state tests a requirement for graduation and has provoked controversy because of policies that link test results to teacher pay. This session will offer diverse perspectives on these issues and the interconnected drivers, and thoughtfully explore worthwhile ways that students can be effectively engaged, evaluated and held accountable. Moderator: Dwight Bullard, Florida State SenatePanelists: Arnie Fege, Public Education Network Edward Hailes, Advancement Project Matt Hill, Los Angeles Unified School District

saTurday, december 8


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Arnold FegeArnold F. Fege has over 30 years of experience in public education, child advocacy, public interest policymaking, community development, leadership in non-profit organizations, and grass roots organizing. He was a former aide to Senator Robert F. Kennedy, filed stories for two years as an AP reporter in Vietnam, was active in the civil rights movement, was a public school teacher and administrator, a governmental relations specialist for several grassroots and volunteer organizations, and has written widely about the rights of poor and disadvantaged children. He has a passion for social justice and equity for disenfranchised

parents, students and communities. Fege is the director of public engagement and advocacy for the Public Education Network (PEN), a national network of over 80 community-based organizations and individuals working to improve public schools in low-income communities across the nation through public engagement. He covers education reform, health, teacher effectiveness, budget, parental involvement, and community engagement issues on Capitol Hill and within agencies.

Edward HailesDirector and Counsel Edward A. Hailes, Jr. is a seasoned civil rights attorney and an ordained Baptist minister. He serves as Managing Director and General Counsel for Advancement Project, a policy and legal action group that creates strategies for achieving universal opportunity and a racially just democracy. Hailes previously directed Advancement Project’s Power and Democracy Program and coordinated its Voter Protection Program. He also directed the VA Voter Restoration Initiative, which works with VA community partners to eliminate the unjust barriers people with felony convictions face in regaining the

right to vote and a voice in our democracy. Before joining Advancement Project’s staff in 2001, Hailes was appointed by former President Bill Clinton to serve as the General Counsel for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Hailes is a Howard Law graduate, a member of the District of Columbia Bar, an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Fair Vote, a member of the Board of Directors of OMB Watch, and Assistant to the Pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Washington, DC.

Matt HillMatt Hill is the Chief Strategy Officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). In this role he oversees the strategic planning process for the district and leads the budget; data and accountability; charter schools; and information technology departments. Hill previously served as LAUSD’s Administrative Officer. Previously, he worked for the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) as the Executive Officer for Strategic Projects. Prior to this role he was the Program Manager for Expect Success, OUSD’s $43M reform program. Previously, he worked for Accenture in the financial services industry, where he worked on

technology and strategy projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina and a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In addition Hill serves on the Board of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) and GreatSchools.


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luNch PleNArY: Speaker: Norman Lear, Founder, People For the American Way/ People For the American Way Foundation

Norman LearNorman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film, and as a political and social activist and philanthropist. We know him best as the founder and creator of People For the American Way (PFAW) and People For the American Way Foundation. Concerned about the growing influence of radical religious evangelists, Norman Lear decided to leave television in 1980 and formed PFAW. In 1982, he produced a two-hour television special I Love Liberty, with a cast of stars and an audience filling the Los Angeles Sports Arena. In addition to People for the American Way, Mr. Lear has founded other nonprofit organizations, including the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, the Business Enterprise Trust, and with his wife, Lyn, co-founded the Environmental Media Association. In 2001, Lyn and Norman Lear created the Declaration of Independence Road Trip, a four-year educational initiative and national multimedia tour of one of the surviving original copies of the Declaration, which they purchased to share with the American people. As part of the project, Mr. Lear launched Declare Yourself, a nonpartisan youth voter initiative that registered well over four million new young voters in the 2004, 2006, and 2008 elections.

sessioN: reThinking Teacher evaluaTion: creaTing modern benchmarking for our SchoolSEnsuring a world-class educational system requires world-class teachers. Holding teachers to high standards is a necessary aspect of public education, but crafting a modern system for teacher assessment is equally important. Modern evaluation standards can transcend simple student performance on a standardized test, and take into account differing school environments, students, and learning and teaching styles. Rethinking teacher standards and evaluation methods can encourage more effective teaching, create even better teachers and help recognize the work of outstanding educators.Moderator: Liz Willen, Hechinger Institute for Education, Columbia UniversityPanelists: Jean Desravines, New Leaders Drew Furedi, Los Angeles Unified School District Joshua Pechthalt, California Federation of Teachers and American Federation of Teachers Dean Vogel, California Teachers Association

Liz WillenLiz Willen is the editor of The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education news outlet affiliated with the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a former senior writer focused on higher education at Bloomberg Markets magazine. Willen spent a decade at Newsday/New York Newsday, where she covered the New York City public school system and City Hall before joining Bloomberg News in 2001. With colleagues David Evans and Michael Smith, Willen won the George Polk Award for Health Writing in 2005 for “Big Pharma’s Shameful Secret,’’ which also earned them several other awards. Willen won the Front Page Award for beat reporting on education in 2005 from the New York Newswoman’s Club and first place for magazine writing from the Education Writer’s Association. She also won a 2003 award from The Society of the Silurians in business/financial reporting for a story about the impact of corporate scandal on colleges. Willen is a graduate of Tufts University and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and an active New York City public school parent.


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Jean DesravinesJean Desravines assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of New Leaders in February 2011, and previously served as Chief Officer for cities and policy at New Leaders for five years. He has more than 15 years of professional leadership experience working with parents and communities on education issues and community development. Before joining New Leaders, Desravines served as Senior Counselor to the Chancellor of New York City’s public school system. In that capacity, he developed a comprehensive

strategy to engage key stakeholders across New York City, building support for the district’s ambitious reform agenda. He has also served as the Executive Director for the Office of Parent and Community Engagement, Chief of Staff to the Senior Counselor for Education Policy, and Director for Community Relations at the New York City Department of Education, as well as Director of organizational development and community programming for the Faith Center for Community Development, Inc. Desravines earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from St. Francis College and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University.

Drew FurediDrew Furedi is Executive Director of Talent Management for the Los Angeles Unified School District. In this role, he coordinates district efforts to support and develop teachers and other educators. He joined the district after serving as the Executive Director of the LMU Family of Schools as an iDesign partner. In this role, Furedi managed the long-range planning and development as well as day-to-day implementation of LMU’s partnership with iDesign and Westchester High School and its feeder middle and elementary schools.

Previously, Furedi spent five and a half years working for The New Teacher Project. His commitment to public education and related issues was solidified through his involvement in Teach For America, the national teacher corps. After earning a BA in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara, Furedi taught elementary school in the city of Baltimore through Teach For America. He earned a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Joshua PechthaltJosh Pechthalt was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Los Angeles and Cali, Colombia. He graduated from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. After high school he earned a B.A. in philosophy from U.C Santa Cruz and later an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Pechthalt taught ESL for two years in Cali, Colombia, and social studies for 21 years at Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles. He also coached tennis and taught a mural painting class. Pechthalt

has been active in his local, United Teachers Los Angeles/AFT 1021 in every capacity for more than 25 years. He was elected union rep at his school, and since 1985 he has served as a member of the union’s House of Representatives, Board of Directors, regional Area Director and since 2005 as the AFT President of Local 1021. Pechthalt currently serves as the chair of the CFT’s Fight for California’s Future Task Force as well as co-chair of the Southern California Public Education Coalition representing a broad spectrum of education-related unions in the Los Angeles area.

Dean VogelDean Vogel is the President of the California Teachers Association. A passionate consensus-builder, proven leader and teacher, he strongly believes California must engage educators more in policy decisions, and that by fighting to improve the working conditions of educators across the state, the union can improve the learning conditions of all students. As CTA vice president, he served as chair of CTA’s vital Public Education Funding Workgroup, helping to develop the union’s ongoing push for stable and sustainable public school funding. He

has helped CTA fight off political and financial threats to our classrooms in recent years, speaking out in numerous debates and rallies, doing media interviews and walking precincts with state education leaders. Since 1990, Vogel has been an elementary school counselor in the Vacaville Unified School District, and understands, first-hand, the consequences of California having the fewest counselors per student of any public school system in the nation. Vogel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in social sciences from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and received his elementary teaching credential from UC Davis. At CSU-Sacramento, he earned a Master’s in education/group dynamics and a pupil personnel services credential.


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sessioN: meSSaging and media PreSence: Talking abouT educaTion YEOs will learn about the complicated political, public opinion and media landscape surrounding public education. YEOs will work on the critical communications skills that will allow them to effectively gather support and implement their education reform Community Action Plans. Trainers: Victor Abalos, JVA GroupEd Coghlan, JVA Group

Victor AbalosVictor Abalos has spent his entire professional life helping people tell their stories. He spent more than 20 years as a print and broadcast journalist working in Central America in the late 80s covering the wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua, then in the U.S. working as a producer for CBS News, ABC News, Fox News and the MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour. Prior to that he worked as a broadcast reporter for TV and radio stations in Los Angeles, Denver and Tucson. His last news job was in 2000 when he served as News Director for the Telemundo station in Los Angeles. He is currently the Principal at JVA Group, a strategic communications consulting agency working with both public and private sector clients. Starting in 2007, Abalos served as Special Communications Consultant to then-LAUSD Superintendent David L. Brewer, who ran the second largest school district in the country. He counseled the Superintendent on public affairs issues, crisis communications and internal communications for the school district. Abalos served for two and a half years as Director of Public Affairs for First 5 LA, a non-profit agency that concentrates on health, education and safety issues for young children. Abalos developed communications strategies that propelled the NALEO Educational Fund into the international spotlight when both presidential candidates addressed the membership at the organization’s 2012 summer conference.

Ed CoghlanEd Coghlan is an accomplished senior corporate communications executive with vast public policy experience. Since 2002, Coghlan has provided external communications consulting services for a number of companies and organizations including Abbott AMO, Bausch + Lomb, Boston Scientific, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission, the Los Angeles Unified School District, Lynwood Unified School District, the Oldtimers Foundation, First 5 Los Angeles, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. For the past 20 years, he has developed and directed media strategy and training seminars for clients including corporations, public agencies, authors and political candidates. He is currently Chairman of the Board of The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company which uses theater to reach at-risk youth. He previously taught journalism at the University of Great Falls, Montana, (his alma mater), California State University at Northridge, and UCLA.


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suNdAY breAkFAst PleNArY bringing STudenTS To The Table: hoW STudenT involvemenT in School adminiSTraTion can imProve Public educaTionThis plenary will cover how student participation in administrative and policy decisions can improve school performance, teacher-student relationships and the overall student learning experience.Speaker: Carlos Rojas, Boston Student Advisory Council

suNdAY luNch PleNArY: educaTion in loS angeleS: innovaTionS, challengeS and reflecTionSLos Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy will discuss the work he has done to reform the nation’s second largest school district. This session will focus on the successes and challenges faced by a school district which represents over 600,000 students. Deasy will address the innovations made by the LAUSD to ensure that all students have the right to a high quality education, improve teacher performance and better prepare students for life after high school.Speaker: John Deasy, Los Angeles Unified School District

John DeasyAs Deputy Director for Education, John Deasy led the effective teaching investment work for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Starting in May, 2006, he served as Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent of Schools of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland. As the second largest school system in the state, this is a diverse, urban school district which serves more than 133,000 children from 148 countries, speaking 140 languages. From 2001- 2006, he served as Superintendent of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. During his tenure, he led district-wide reforms, resulting in dramatic

improvement in achievement for all categories of students and closing the achievement gap. From 1996-2001, he was Superintendent of Coventry Public Schools, serving the district first as the Interim Assistant Superintendent and then as Assistant Superintendent. As a Board Member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, he served on the Commission of Public Schools and revised the Accreditation Standards for use through New England. He is an Annenberg Fellow Superintendent, selected as one of 25 superintendents from around the country, as well as a member of ASCD and AASA. Deasy is a graduate of the Broad Superintendent Executive Development Program and also a Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Entrepreneurial Leaders in Education Program and recipient of the Alumni Fellows award in 2007 from the University of Louisville.

sunday, december 9

Young ElEctEd officials

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BEN ALLENSchool Board PresidentSanta Monica, CaliforniaElected in 2008, Ben Allen serves as President of the Santa Monica-Malibu School Board. Allen is an attorney with the law firm of Richardson & Patel LLP, where his work focuses on government/political affairs and litigation. He is also an adjunct faculty member at UCLA Law School. While at law school, Allen served on the University of California’s Board of Regents and as a judicial clerk with the Rwanda war crimes tribunal. Afterwards, Allen was a litigator with the law firm of Bryan Cave LLP and then led the successful Los Angeles launch of The Spark Program, a non-profit organization that connects at-risk middle school students with apprenticeships. Today, he serves on Spark’s board. Prior to law school, Allen worked for the National Democratic Institute, and then as Communications Director for Congressman José Serrano. Fluent in Spanish, Allen has degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and UC Berkeley.

MANDELA BARNESState RepresentativeMilwaukee, WisconsinMandela Barnes was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has served as a youth and workforce development specialist. In addition to working with various community organizations, he has worked with elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels to develop policies to strengthen the Milwaukee area. Barnes graduated from John Marshall High School, and went on to attend Alabama A&M University. After college, he became a community organizer and returned to Milwaukee to give back to his hometown. He has worked in the office of the mayor, and now directs an interfaith community organization. He is state representative-elect for the 11th district in Wisconsin.

JOSUé BARRIOSCity CouncilorCudahy, CaliforniaCity Councilor Josué Barrios is a proud resident of Southeast Los Angeles, and more specifically, the City of Cudahy. His goals upon getting elected to the Cudahy City Council in March 2009 were to reduce crime, improve public transportation, and work closely with the public schools in the area. Barrios is on the Gateway Cities Council of Governments Board of Directors and the MTA Governance Council, and he continues to work closely with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department in outreach programs in the community, as well as with faith-based teen youth groups. He also currently chairs the Latino Caucus for the Young Elected Officials Network. Barrios received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He will complete his Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Woodbury University in Burbank in December 2012.

ALAN BROCKCounty CommissionerCrawfordville, FloridaAlan Brock, 31, was elected to the Wakulla County Commission in November 2008, and as Chairman in 2011. He is also a consultant with Civic Communications, working with local coalitions to promote model public health policies. Brock began his public service career as a spokesperson for the original Florida “Truth” anti-tobacco campaign, which went on to become a model for the nation. He continued to work in public health advocacy while attending Florida State University, and worked at the Florida Democratic Party as the North Florida and Youth Outreach Director. In 2006, Brock was the North Florida Field Director for the Vote Yes on 4 Campaign, also known as “Floridians for Youth Tobacco Education.” Commissioner Brock serves on the Big Bend Homeless Coalition Board, the Wakulla County Tourist Development Council and the Wilderness Coast Public Libraries Board.

Yeo & PArticiPANt bios


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JAMAR BROWN School Board MemberChampaign, IllinoisSince his election in May of 2011 to the Champaign, Illinois District 4 School Board, Jamar Brown has continued to give back to his native city. Brown has been active in the community; over the past several years he has served as the Vice Chair Human Relations Commissioner for the City of Champaign, and he also continued his role as a member of the Unit 4 Education Equity Excellence Committee, a group that

came about as a result of the consent decree. Brown and his wife have two children, one attending Bottenfield Elementary.

DWIGHT BULLARDState SenatorMiami, FloridaDwight Bullard has been a teacher at Coral Reef Senior High School in Miami, Florida since 2000. In 2008, he was sworn into office in the Florida House of Representatives, where he is currently a member of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Policy Committee, the Higher Education Appropriations Committee and the PreK-20 Competitiveness Committee. Bullard was named Democratic Ranking Member of the

Education Committee during the 2010-2012 term due to his outstanding leadership and commitment to education. Bullard has received the Florida Education Association’s Freshman Friend of Public Education and Friend of Public Education Award, and the Florida Association of School Administrators’ Next Generation Leader Award. Representative Bullard is also affiliated with the Miami Dade Young Democrats, and was awarded the Young Democrats of Miami Dade Outstanding Leadership and Blue Star Awards.

MICHAEL BUTLER State RepresentativeSt. Louis, MissouriMichael Butler, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, was elected to the Missouri State Legislature at the age of 26. Previously, Butler worked in the office of State Senator Robin Wright-Jones and as the legislative assistant to State Representative Mary Wynne Still. During this time Butler also pursued a Master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He graduated with a Master in Public Affairs in May of 2011.

Butler also holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Alabama A&M University, where he served as student government president and a member of the Board of Trustees.

ADAM CARRANzABoard of Education MemberEl Monte, CaliforniaAdam Carranza serves as Clerk to the Mountain View Board of Education in El Monte, California. Elected in 2009, Carranza, 23, is the youngest member of the board. Carranza currently works as a research interviewer for USC School of Social Work, working with vulnerable minority groups at risk for HIV. The Mountain View School District is committed to sustainability practices and environmental

education for students and staff.


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LELAND CHEUNGCity CouncilorCambridge, MassachusettsLeland Cheung is currently serving his second term on the Cambridge City Council, where he has been a strong leader in economic development, community building, and regional cooperation. In addition to being the youngest member of the Cambridge City Council, Cheung is the first currently enrolled student to be elected to the Council, as well as the first Asian American. The son of immigrants, Cheung developed a deep appreciation for American values and the importance of community participation. He was first elected in 2009 while pursuing a Master in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and an MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Cheung earned a BA in Physics and Economics and an MS in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University. He has previously worked as a Senior Associate at Masthead Partners, a Cambridge-based venture capital firm focusing on digital media, mobile, and internet infrastructure.

JANET CHINSchool Board PresidentRosemead, CaliforniaM. Janet Chin was re-elected to the Garvey School Board in 2011 and has served two years as Board President. She was also elected to the Executive Board of the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association, to represent 91 school boards in Los Angeles County. Chin is a US Army veteran serving on the US Army Community Advisory Board. She is the Founder and President of the M. Janet Chin Youth Foundation, a non-profit educational charity that empowers youth in low growth/low opportunity areas through after school enrichment, civic engagement, service learning, and leadership training. Chin is also the Communications Director for California State Senate District 24. She is a member of PTA, a Neighborhood Watch Captain, a Sheriff Citizen Academy graduate, a Citizen’s Academy graduate, and part of the Community Emergency Response Team. She lives in Rosemead, California with her husband and three sons.

MARISOL CRUzSchool Board MemberLennox, CaliforniaMarisol Cruz was re-elected to the Lennox School District Board of Trustees in 2009. As a member of the Lennox School District Board of Trustees, Cruz is working with her fellow board members to ensure that the children of Lennox receive the best public education. The School Board is working to support and nurture the academic programs that encourage the development of a whole human being. Cruz believes that it is of vital importance to create an environment of individuals who care and believe in all our children. Cruz migrated from San Ignacio Cerro Gordo, Jalisco, Mexico with her family when she was only three months old.

HENRY L. DAVIS, JR.City CouncilmanSouth Bend, IndianaElected in 2008, Henry Davis, Jr. is currently in his second term as a City Councilman for the City of South Bend, Indiana. Davis was first elected to office in 2006 as a Precinct Committee Chairman and State Delegate. He is a member of the Earlham College Alumni Council, chairman of the South Bend Common Council Community Economic Development Committee, and a council appointee for the South Bend Redevelopment Commission. Councilman Davis successfully worked with the SEIU in 2009 to get the Affordable Care Act passed. He has authored and co-sponsored legislation to improve economic development incentives in the hi-tech field for nanotechnology, minority and women business enterprises, and improving local labor relations for his community.


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TADEO DE LA HOYA School Board MemberSan Luis, ArizonaTadeo De La Hoya serves on the School Board of San Luis, Arizona, earning his seat when he defeated a 12-year incumbent. He also works as an evidence technician for the San Luis Police Department. De La Hoya is attending Rio Salado College, pursing a degree in business administration.

ERIC DESOBENeighborhood CouncilmanLos Angeles, CaliforniaEric DeSobe currently serves as President of the Del Rey Neighborhood Council, serving a community of 35,000 residents on the west side of Los Angeles. He will run for re-election this October. A former teacher, Eric works full-time for KIPP LA Schools, one of the nation’s most successful charter school networks, where he recruits, trains, and supports teachers. He also directs the Los Angeles chapter of New

Leaders Council, which works to train and support the progressive political entrepreneurs of tomorrow — trendsetters, elected officials and civically-engaged leaders in business and industry.

KRISTIN DOzIER County CommissionerTallahassee, FloridaKristin Dozier is serving her first term as Leon County Commissioner for District 5 in Tallahassee, Florida. A former green building advisor for Mad Dog Construction, where she worked for twelve years, she is now focused full time on county business. She serves on several boards for the county, including the Leon County Research and Development Authority, the Council on Culture and Arts, the Economic

Development Council, and several community boards including Sustainable Tallahassee, the Brogan and Whole Child Leon. Dozier received a Master of Arts degree in Religious Ethics and Philosophy from Florida State University in 2003. Her study was focused on comparative religious ethics, Catholic moral theology, and human rights ethics. She taught an undergraduate course entitled Religious Ethics and Moral Problems for three and a half years at FSU.

WESLEY FARROWNeighborhood Council Board MemberLos Angeles, CaliforniaWesley G. Farrow serves on the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council as a Board Member and Committee Chair. Farrow studied Economics and Psychology at University of Michigan’s Honors College and went on to spend a year in the nonprofit sector, working in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. Farrow then joined Teach for America and moved to Los Angeles to work in secondary

special education. Outside the classroom, he works to improve UTLA governance through NewTLA, serves as a member of the union’s legislative body, and was selected to be a leadership fellow at LAUSD. Farrow graduated from the Southern California Coro Fellowship program, where he worked with the California Community Foundation, LAPD, Univision, Vons-Safeway, The California Endowment, and Robert F. Kennedy Center’s Compass Program. He is dedicated to improving access to education and economic justice through social entrepreneurship and public policy.


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MAE FLExERState RepresentativeKillingly, ConnecticutState Representative Mae Flexer, before being elected to the State Legislature, was the youngest person in Connecticut ever elected as Town Committee chairwoman. She has previously served as the field organizer for both the Courtney and Sullivan campaigns, as legislative aide for Senate President Don Williams, and worked six sessions at the capitol in various roles, including a stint with the Judiciary Committee and in the legislative commissioner’s office. She recently returned to the University of Connecticut to pursue a Master’s degree.

ANGELA GARRETSONCity CouncilmemberHillside, New JerseyAngela R. Garretson is an at-large member of the Hillside City Council. Prior to her council election in 2009, Garretson was president of the Hillside School Board, where she worked with students, parents, community leaders, local and state government and nonprofit organizations to preserve and strengthen quality education in her community. Previously, Garretson worked for Eagleton Institute of Politics, as well as several community organizations and political campaigns. She graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science in business communications and from Rutgers University with a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration. Garretson is currently working toward a PhD.

ROBERT GIGNACSchool Committee MemberLowell, MassachusettsRobert Gignac grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts where he serves as a School Committee Member. Gignac has adegree from UMass Lowell and is currently employed at the Career Center of Lowell as the Staff Accountant. He is involved in a number of community organizations throughout the city of Lowell and the Merrimack Valley including the Lowell Telecommunications Corporation Board of Directors, City of Lowell Taxi and Livery Commission, and the UMass Lowell Career Services Advisory Board.

ANDREW GILLUM City CommissionerTallahassee, Florida Andrew Gillum became the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission in 2003. He has held prominent leadership roles including mayor pro tem, chairman of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency, and lead commissioner for the Long Range Community Based Planning and the Financial Viability in Government Target Issue Committees. Commissioner Gillum previously served as deputy political director with the Florida Democratic Party. He was a field organizer and statewide director of the “Arrive With 5” program, and currently serves as the executive director of the Young Elected Officials Network, both with People For the American Way Foundation. Commissioner Gillum also serves on the Board of Directors for The Schott Foundation for Public Education. He is a graduate of Florida A & M University, where he served as president of the Student Government Association, and the first student member of the Board of Trustees.


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DARCIE GREENSchool Board Member San Jose, CaliforniaIn November 2010, Darcie Green was elected to the Alum Rock Union School District Board of Trustees and currently serves as Vice-President of the Board. In 2011, she was also elected to the California Latino School Board Association Statewide Board of Directors. Green is the Community & Government Relations Manager for Kaiser Permanente South Bay. Prior to entering the health care industry, Green worked as a

field representative in the offices of former CA State Assemblyman Manny Diaz and former CA State Assemblyman Joe Coto, where she helped to address many public policy issues affecting the residents of San Jose, with a particular emphasis on providing disenfranchised communities access to healthy lifestyle choices and quality education. Passionately advocating for the rights of women and minorities, Green has dedicated her career to helping increase political and social power for women, youth and ethnic communities.

MATT HANEYSchool Board MemberSan Francisco, CaliforniaRecently elected to office, School Board Member Matt Haney has fought for public education over the past 10 years, as an advocate, educator, organizer, and policy analyst. As the Executive Director of the University of California Student Association, he works directly for the over 200,000 students in the UC system. Haney is the Co-founder and Chair of Citizen Hope, a Bay Area organization which encourages

civic engagement and community service. He also serves on the SFUSD Public Education Enrichment Fund (Prop H) Community Advisory Committee, advising the district on how to spend critical funds on libraries, sports, music, arts, and preschool. Haney previously served as a Legislative Aide and State Senate Fellow for State Senator Joe Simitian in Sacramento and as a member of his education policy team. As an appointee to SFUSD’s Restorative Justice Taskforce, Haney helped develop new policies to improve school culture and change the paradigm of school discipline. Haney earned a BA from UC Berkeley, an MA from Stanford University School of Education, a JD from Stanford Law School with a focus on education law, and an LLM in Human Rights from National University of Ireland.

JOHN HARABEDIANCity CouncilmemberSierra Madre, CaliforniaRecently elected to office, John Harabedian was born and raised in Sierra Madre. As an attorney, Harabedian’s practice focuses on commercial and criminal litigation, and he volunteers a significant amount of his time to pro bono matters. He previously served as a law clerk to a federal district court judge in the Central District of California. Prior to becoming an attorney, Harabedian served as a policy analyst for

the City of Los Angeles where he specialized in public safety and homeland security. Specifically, he worked with the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments to formulate and implement policies focused on crime reduction, terrorism prevention and deterrence, and emergency preparedness. Harabedian is a graduate of Loyola High School, Yale University (BA Political Science), Oxford University (Masters in Public Policy), and Stanford Law School ( JD). He serves on the Board of Directors of Orphans Against AIDS, Inc., an international non-profit organization that provides academic support for children in developing countries who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.


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DANIEL HERNANDEzSchool Board MemberTucson, ArizonaDaniel Hernandez is a member of the Sunnyside Unified School District governing board. Hernandez became politically energized in response to Arizona’s immigration policies and worked on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Thereafter, he began his studies in political science at the University of Arizona. While attending college, Hernandez served as campaign manager for State Representative Steve Farley. Hernandez worked on Gabby Giffords’ 2008 election campaign, and he served as her congressional intern in January 2011. Hernandez is a member of Tucson’s City Commission on LGBTQ Issues.

CANDACE HOLLINGSWORTH City Council MemberHyattsville, MarylandCandace Hollingsworth is a City Council Member in the city of Hyattsville, Maryland. Hollingsworth completed a master’s degree in Public Policy at Georgetown University and a bachelors of arts at Emory University. During her career in organizational development, she successfully managed project portfolios as large as $18 million, led business process improvements for national nonprofit organizations, medical research centers, and government agencies. She served as Vice-President of the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA and the Hyattsville Civic Association.

VONzELLE JOHNSONCity CommissionerDeland, FloridaDeland City Commissioner Vonzelle Johnson earned his BA in Sociology from Colgate University and his MSW from Valdosta State University. Johnson specializes in macro practice; his areas of expertise include community empowerment and policy development and implementation. Johnson has previously served as a social work adjunct professor at Bethune-Cookman University and the University of New England and is currently working on his education doctorate. He has a double concentration in organization leadership and higher education leadership. Johnson is the founder of Brothers Advocating Service and Inspiration in the Community, Inc., a non-profit mentoring organization that provides guidance and positive role modeling to adolescent males in the DeLand community. A passionate higher education advocate, he also serves as the corporate relations officer at Stetson University.

KEVIN KILLER State RepresentativePine Ridge, South DakotaCurrently in his second term, State Representative Kevin Killer was elected in 2008, and serves on the Education and Judiciary Committees. He remains concerned about the restrictions on tribal gaming in South Dakota and is interested in restorative justice processes as a means of keeping young offenders in school and out of the criminal justice system. Killer is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and was the president of the student senate and a member of the board of trustees for Oglala Lakota College. In 2006, he was director of Native American outreach for South Dakotans Against Discrimination, fighting for civil union protections in South Dakota. In 2004, Killer worked for U.S. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle as a field organizer on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Killer is a graduate of YEO Network’s Front Line Leaders Academy.


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LEVON CHARLES MANzIESchool Board MemberMobile, AlabamaCounty Board of Schools Commissioner Rev. Levon Charles Manzie was elected to a six-year term as a Commissioner of the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners. The Mobile County School Board is the largest school system in the State of Alabama. At 25, Manzie is the youngest person ever elected to serve in this position, receiving 66% of the vote in his district. Manzie is a college senior, majoring in

political science and history and serves as Assistant Pastor of the St. Joseph Missionary Baptist Church of Whistler, AL.

MICHAEL MATUROTown CouncilmemberTappan, New YorkTown Councilmember Michael Maturo represented 50,000 residents in his hometown of Orangetown, New York. After a year of teaching computer science in a small city on the east coast of China, Maturo decided to contribute closer to home. During his first term, he focused on three key areas: systematic environmental consciousness, hamlet development, and revitalization of a $3 million golf enterprise.

Maturo found success in a multi-stakeholder approach to problem solving, securing buy-in from specific, energized citizen groups, appointed officials, and elected officials. A less public but equally important effort has been to infuse technology into the process of government, from land use board project visualization to IT services centralization for simplicity and cost efficiency.

RAHN MAYOState RepresentativeDecatur, GeorgiaRahn Mayo was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2008. His committee assignments include Education, Insurance, and Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment. Representative Mayo also serves as vice chairman of the Henry County legislative delegation and is a former member of the Banks and Banking Committee. At the grassroots level, Mayo is active in the Brook Glen Neighborhood

Association. He helped organize the “Adopt a Road” program in his community, joining other citizens in picking up litter in conjunction with a county program. As board chairman of the Cedar Grove High School Career Technology Advisory Council, he has the opportunity to support innovative academic initiatives in education, a top priority on his legislative agenda. Mayo also initiated a Youth Law Development Program that provided field trips, guest speakers and a variety of learning experiences in the judicial system.

AMANDA MCGILLState SenatorLincoln, Nebraska Amanda McGill is in her second term as the State Senator from Northeast Lincoln. Senator McGill is a former television reporter who has taken interest in a variety of legislative matters. She serves as the Chair of the Urban Affairs Committee and also serves on the Judiciary and General Affairs Committees. Her priority bills have included legislation to fund school breakfast, create bonds for roads, reform child welfare

and encourage people to save money. When she is not focusing on the legislature, McGill serves as executive director of the YWCA Lincoln. She was recently selected for an Early Achiever Award through the University of Nebraska Alumni Association.


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MARLON MCWILSONEducation Board MemberOakland, CaliforniaMarlon McWilson is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he played football on an athletic scholarship. During McWilson’s tenure at UC Berkeley, he realized his calling to education, community work and mentorship. He was an integral part of a mentoring program at McClymonds High School in West Oakland through Stiles Hall. These experiences led him to enter the teaching profession in the Oakland Unified School District, where he taught at the elementary and high school levels. Currently, McWilson is a business owner in Oakland and the associate academic liaison for Cal Football.

DOMINICK MORENOState RepresentativeCommerce City, ColoradoDominick Moreno was born and raised in Commerce City, Colorado. He graduated from high school as valedictorian and received a scholarship to attend Georgetown University in Washington, DC, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in American Government in 2008. In November 2009 he was elected to the Ward I seat on the City Council in Commerce City, becoming the youngest councilmember in Commerce City history. Moreno was recently elevated to the position of Mayor Pro Tem and has served as a Legislative Aide for the Colorado State Senate and State House of Representatives. He is an at-large member of the National League of Cities GLBT Local Officials Board of Directors and is running for the Colorado House of Representatives, District 32 in 2012.

WENDELL MOSBYBoard TrusteeChicago, IllinoisWendell Mosby’s love for politics began when he was elected as Student Council Vice President at Rich Central High School in 1995. While attending Iowa State University, he became a senator to the student body government. In 2011, he was elected to the Board of Trustees of Prairie State Community College.

OMAR ORNELASCity Council Member Lathrop, CaliforniaCouncil Member Ornelas has served on various commissions and committees in Lathrop. He was first appointed to the Youth Advisory Commission in September of 2006 and served until December of 2009 as the commission’s vice-chair. Ornelas also served on the Parks and Recreation commission, and in 2008 was named Lathrop Ambassador. Ornelas is also currently a full time student at San Joaquin Delta College, and plans to transfer to the University of the Pacific to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science. Afterwards, he intends to apply to law school. On December 6, 2010, Ornelas was appointed to the Lathrop City Council by a unanimous vote. At 19 years of age, Council Member Ornelas is the youngest council member in the history of San Joaquin County. He is also one of the youngest serving council members in California today.


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QUENTIN PHIPPSCity TreasurerMiddletown, ConnecticutQuentin “Q” Phipps serves Middletown Connecticut as the City Treasurer. Phipps attended Bryant University of Smithfield, Rhode Island and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. After graduating from Bryant, he continued working in the banking sector. Phipps is involved with numerous charitable and service organizations. He serves on the Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater

Board of Directors, Mount Saint John’s Board of Directors, Middlesex Substance Abuse Action Council Board of Directors and as an active member in Cross Street Zion A.M.E.Church. In 2007, Phipps filled a vacancy on the Planning & Zoning commission and in 2009, he was unanimously elected Chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission. As City Treasurer, Phipps develops strategies to provide tax relief, invest in local businesses, and utilize best practices on fiscally responsible use of bonding.

REV. DR. SIMEON L. QUEENCity CouncilmanPrairie View, TexasRev. Dr. Simeon Queen is the Mayor Pro Tem/City Councilman of the city of Prairie View, Texas. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Adjustments & Appeals for the city. Dr. Queen is also the author of a groundbreaking book, “Christians We Be Clubbin,” which seeks to highlight a new consciousness in spiritual enlightenment to the younger generation. Queen attended Prairie View A&M University for his

Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and received his Doctorate of Missionology from The Lord’s Outreach School of Theology in Lake Charles. Queen is also involved in various organizations, including F.O.C.G: Sigma Rhomeo Inc., and he is the National Chaplain for the PVAMU National Alumni Association. Dr. Queen is currently the Pastor of Congregational & Community Support at St. John’s Downtown UMC, one of the most progressive churches in the country.

MARTIN QUEzADAState RepresentativePhoenix, ArizonaMartín Quezada is a native of Phoenix and attended Arizona State University West and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Quezada worked as a Research Analyst/Policy Advisor to the Democrat Caucus in the Arizona State Senate and the Arizona State House of Representatives before being accepted into law school at ASU. After receiving

his law degree, Quezada served a judicial clerkship for Judge Patricia Orozco on the Arizona Court of Appeals (2008-2009). Quezada has been a community activist for several years and serves on numerous boards and commissions in the community. He was named as one of the Univision Radio/AZ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Hispanic Leaders Under Age 40 in 2009.

KATHRYN RAMIREzBoard of Education Vice PresidentSalinas, CaliforniaKathryn Ramirez began her career in education as a teacher at a local College in Salinas, where she first realized the need to improve public schools. In November 2003, Ramirez began her public service career as a Trustee for the Salinas Union High School District. She currently serves as a the Vice President of the Board Of Education for the Salinas Union High School District, Secretary of the California Latino

School Board Association Board, Region 9b Delegate to the California School Board Association and is a Board Member of the Monterey County School Boards Association. Ramirez is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration at Golden Gate University.


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JERMAINE REEDCity CouncilmemberKansas City, MissouriAt 27, Jermaine Reed is the youngest Councilmember on the board. Representing the 3rd District, which has historically been plagued by crime and lack of opportunity, Reed has spurred economic development and played a major role in establishing the Violent Crime Commission in Kansas City. Reed led collaborations with local business leaders to bring grocery stores to the District, once considered a food desert. He also championed green initiatives in his district such as the G.R.E.A.T. Project, which trains and employs over 400 young adults in weatherizing homes. Overcoming poverty and homelessness, Reed is a first-generation college graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, and an avid supporter of youth causes. He is a mentor for Generation Rap Radio, a program he once hosted.

CHRIS REYMayorSpring Lake, North CarolinaMayor Chris Rey, at 34 years old, was elected as Spring Lake’s youngest mayor in 2011. Rey grew up in the community and graduated from Pine Forest Senior High in 1995. He attended the University of Virginia and then William and Mary’s School of Law, graduating in 2010. Rey is a Chancellor Leadership Scholar, former National Board Member of the National Black Law Students Association, Director of Corporate Relations and a former United States Army Officer, Specializing in Information Technology Infrastructure development. He founded PROJECT L.I.F.T. (Legal Initiative For Teens) 501 (c)(3), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a comprehensive and sustainable pipe line initiative dedicated to increasing the number of minority males in the legal profession.

CRAIG RICECounty CouncilmemberGermantown, MarylandCouncilmember Craig Rice’s political career began in the fall of 2006, when he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, defeating a 12-year Republican incumbent. There, he served on the Ways and Means Committee and was a member of both the Education and Fiscal Revenue subcommittees. In 2010, Rice left the State Legislature to run for the Montgomery County Council. His win made him the youngest African American to ever serve on the 9-member Council and only the second African American man to serve in that role. There he serves on the Education Committee, Health and Human Services Committee and helps shape an annual county budget of $4 billion. He is an alumnus of the University of Maryland, where he majored in Computer Science. Previously, he worked for Marriott International, Aramark Corporation and served as a business development manager for the Government of Puerto Rico.

MIKE RICHARDSCounty Board MemberChampaign, IllinoisMike Richards is serving in his third term, and was named Deputy Board Chairman after the 2010 election. He oversees the County’s court system and human service agencies. As Democratic Caucus representative on Champaign County’s Redistricting Commission, Richards has spent much of 2011 creating a new map for the county’s 11 districts. In addition to his work with the county’s court system, he is focused on lowering the county’s carbon footprint and increasing accountability & transparency in county government operations. Richards was also elected to his second term as Secretary of the Champaign County Democratic Party in 2010.


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JASON ROTHMANSchool Board MemberPomona, CaliforniaJason Rothman is President and Board Member of the Pomona Unified School District, the same district in which he received his K-12 education. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biological sciences from Cal Poly Pomona.

BRIAN ROWLANDCity CouncilmemberPrairie View, TexasMayor Pro-Tem Brian Rowland was elected to the office at the age of 29. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Tarleton State University, and a Master of Community Development (MCD) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Prairie View A&M University. Rowland was an instrumental force in the successful restoration of Prairie View A&M students’ rights to vote. He has

received the Young Champions of Justice Award from The Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights. Rowland has also been actively involved in the NAACP for the last 17 years. Currently, he is the Assistant Treasurer for the Texas State Conference for NAACP Branches. Rowland is determined to achieve professional and personal growth as he strives to impact the future of Prairie View and this country.

LON SEIDMANBoard of Education MemberIvoryton, ConnecticutLon Seidman resides in Ivoryton, Connecticut, where he serves as chairman of the Essex Elementary Board of Education and vice-chairman of the Essex Economic Development Commission. Seidman is a partner in his family’s business, The Safety Zone, LLC, an Essex-based importer of gloves and personal protection products. At 22, Seidman became the youngest person ever elected to the Westbrook, Connecticut Board

of Education. In 2002, Seidman was elected to the Democratic State Central Committee and the following year was elected Co-President of the Connecticut Young Democrats, a position he held until 2007.

JAMES TAYLOR, JR.Council MemberWinston-Salem, North CarolinaCouncil member James Taylor, Jr. was first elected in 2009. Professionally, Taylor works as a Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Coordinator. He is a graduate of North Carolina Central University. He and his wife Deanna are raising their three children – James III, Jacob and Jada.

BRENT TERCEROCity CouncilmemberPico Rivera, CaliforniaElected in November 2011, Brent Tercero grew up in Pico Rivera and attended Loyola High School of Los Angeles, where he learned the value of “being a man for others.” After graduating, he attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where he earned a BA in History and Political Science. Immediately after graduation, he was recruited by Teach for America and taught at Los Angeles Academy

Middle School in South Los Angeles while earning a Master of Arts in Education from Loyola Marymount University. While teaching, he gained an appreciation of the importance of public schools and the hardships that many of our nation’s children endure every day that keep them from attaining a quality education. When Tercero was laid off after the 2009 school year due to budget cuts, he realized policy and political decisions could hurt the everyday American, and the everyday Pico Riveran. He decided to switch professions and went back to school at the University of Southern California where he will earn a Master of Public Policy in 2012. Tercero currently works for the City Manager in Maywood, CA.


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KAYING THAOSchool Board DirectorRoseville, MinnesotaSchool Board Director Kaying Thao was born in a Thai refugee camp and immigrated to the United States with her parents in the late 70s – making her a generation 1.5 immigrant. She is an Alumna of Roseville Area Schools, St. Catherine University, and Metropolitan State University, with a Master’s Degree is in Public and Nonprofit Administration. Thao has over 16 years of nonprofit experience in various capacities, most of which have pertained to education; community development and engagement; diversity training; and fundraising, development, and grant writing. This past fall, she became the first Hmong-American to be elected onto the Roseville Area School Board. She also serves as a Human Rights Commissioner for her city where they recently passed a resolution in opposition of the marriage amendment to City Council, and currently are working on the Voter ID amendment. Thao is a grant writer for a local nonprofit organization where their mission is to promote cultural appreciation and racial equality for youth.

RASHIDA TLAIBState RepresentativeDetroit, MichiganState Representative Rashida Tlaib was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2008, making history by becoming the first female Muslim elected to the Michigan legislature, and only second in the country. She was raised in Southwest Detroit, the eldest of 14 children, and a child of immigrants who taught her the importance of hard work, honesty, and commitment to community. The first in her family to earn a college degree, she earned her B.A. in political science from Wayne State University in 1998 and her law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2004. She provided social and advocacy services to thousands of local families at Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development (LASED), the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), the Office of State Representative Steve Tobocman, the International Institute of Metro Detroit, and the Neighborhood Tax Center. Representative Tlaib has received numerous awards and recognition for leadership and dedication to community service.

ELIzABETH R. TOLEDOBoard of Education MemberThermal, CaliforniaIn 2006, Elizabeth Toledo was elected to the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees. Upon re-election to a second term, she was appointed to the Riverside County Board of Education. Toledo began her career working as a Youth Promotora with Planned Parenthood of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties at age of 15. She earned a degree from the University of California at Riverside and recently completed a Masters of Politics, Economics and Business from Claremont Graduate University. She spent over seven years working in county government as a Legislative Assistant for the late Supervisor Roy Wilson and Supervisor John J. Benoit, where she focused on health and human services. Presently, Toledo is managing the Building Healthy Communities Initiative in the Eastern Coachella Valley, a new 10-year initiative funded by The California Endowment. Elizabeth Toledo is a Policy Fellow with the Women’s Policy Institute sponsored by the Women’s Foundation of California.

HUGO TzECGoverning Board MemberBaldwin Park, CaliforniaHugo Tzec is a proud member of the Baldwin Park Board of Education. He graduated with a history major and English literature minor from Georgetown University before obtaining his law degree from the University of San Francisco Law School. Mr. Tzec also serves his community as a labor lawyer.


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VIRGIL WATKINS, JR. City CouncilmemberMacon, GeorgiaCouncilman Virgil Watkins Jr., 23, is a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a degree in political science. In 2007, he was elected to represent the Fourth Ward on the Macon City Council. Prior to his election, Councilman Watkins worked for the Service Employees International Union as a political organizer, served as Democratic representative on the Bibb County Board of Elections, and was a mayoral

appointee to the Macon Transit Authority.

LEA WEBBCity CouncilmemberBinghamton, New YorkCouncilwoman Lea Webb is an award-winning activist, working to bridge the gap between local and state government to bring about positive and lasting change in her community. Her greatest achievements include being the first – and youngest – African-American representative on the Binghamton City Council. Webb is currently a community organizer with Citizen Action of New York, where she coordinates the

Health Care for All New Yorkers and the Racial/Ethnic Disparities task forces. Recently, Webb brought public and private partnerships together to address a 15-year food desert in her district by securing plans for a grocery store. She was recognized as one of tomorrow’s leaders by Oprah magazine and The White House Project, and was honored with the President’s Award by the Broome-Tioga Branch of the NAACP for her significant contributions to her community.

AIRICK LEONARD WESTSchool Board Chair MemberKansas City, MissouriAirick Leonard West is the School Board Chair Member for the Kansas City, Missouri School District. West has a background in community organizing and is a board member for League of United Latin American Citizens’ (LULAC) National Education Service Center, board member of MorningStar Missionary Baptist’s Development Corporation, treasurer of the Missouri Democratic Party and president

of the Kansas City School District Board. West is a Big Brother, a YouthFriend to scholars at KCMSD’s Choice Learning Program and MLK Elementary, and a CASA volunteer for two district scholars.

JOSHUA YOUNGCity CommissionerCoatesville, Pennsylvania Commissioner Joshua Young was elected in 2005 at the age of 23 and re-elected in 2009. Since his election he has worked on open space preservation, created Caln Township’s conservation and renewable energy task force, and worked to save taxpayer money. As Commissioner, Young serves as chair of the Parks and Rec, Caln Community Day, Conservation and Renewable Energy, Finance, and Police Pension committees. He

also serves as Chairman of Slippery Rock University Council of Trustee’s and Vice-President of Young’s Garage Inc.


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ParTiciPanTS

JUDE PAUL DIzONJude Paul Dizon is the Coordinator for Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Involvement and Advocacy at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is excited to have his dream job after completing the Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration degree at the University of Vermont. In addition to his passion for racial justice and community empowerment, Dizon is interested in global issues, immigrant and labor rights, and a systems-level approach to problem solving.

LENA KHADERLena Khader is a senior Psychology major at Oklahoma City University and plans to pursue her Masters in School Counseling after graduation. Born to immigrant parents, Khader was raised with a firm belief in the transformative potential of a good education and a passion for making that opportunity possible for those less fortunate around her. After attending a media-dubbed “dropout factory” high school, Khader gained admittance to a private, liberal arts institution. Aware of her privilege, Khader realized her desire to give back to her community by becoming a major player in the fight toward social justice in the education arena. As an Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) Fellow, Khader participated in summer workshops in graduate-level curriculum of critical, cultural and educational theory. As an NEA Intern, she worked with the Office of Minority Outreach, and she continues to mentor young people in her South Oklahoma City community.

CRISTINA LARACristina Lara is a junior Education minor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York focused on education policy reform. Passionate about helping low-income students graduate from high school and enter higher education, Lara is using her YP4 Blueprint for Social Justice to create a three-year mentorship program that will prepare high school sophomores for the college application and admissions process, ensuring they become strong candidates for the colleges and universities they want to attend. Lara is a firm believer that high educational attainment stimulates economic growth, and that it also protects young folks of color from being stuck in the criminal justice system. Recognizing that a disproportionate number of prison inmates are high school drop outs, Lara is passionate about challenging this school-to-prison pipeline and is an advocate for policies and programs that encourage our youth to stay in high school. Lara is committed to working for education reform in the U.S. that comes from a progressive perspective and to promoting a progressive analysis of the issues surrounding student achievement and success.

young PeoPle For Fellows


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ParTiciPanTS

zEPHANII SMITHZephanii Smith is a senior at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. She is currently applying for Masters of Education Policy programs. As an undergraduate, Smith studied education systems across the globe—from Europe and the Middle East to North Africa and Asia—and her current research interests include improving educational systems at home and abroad. She is passionate about bridging the “achievement gap” in California’s public school system and developing programs to dramatically increase college readiness, access, and affordability for low-income and minority students/candidates for admission

to private, prestigious universities. As an Ambassador from the California Youth Think Tank program at USC, Smith worked closely with former CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct research in public schools. She has also lobbied with NAACP and University of California Students Association on behalf of students across the state.

MATTHEW YAGYAGAN Matthew Yagyagan recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a dual major in Political Science and Ethnic Studies. Yagyagan was committed to social justice as a student organizer with the Pilipino American Alliance, the Berkeley Multicultural Community Center and Cal Students for Equal Rights and a Valid Education, a progressive coalition of under-resourced students. He organized against budget cuts and tuition hikes that plague public education across California, mobilized Census participation in low-income communities in Oakland, and advocated for diversity and inclusion in higher education.

Yagyagan’s institutional experience includes internships at Chula Vista City Council, the district office of Congressman Bob Filner, and most notably, on the Hill with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. He was placed in the Speaker’s Office by OCA, an organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans. Yagyagan most recently worked for Alliance for San Diego where he worked to mobilize low-income voters and voters of color around proposition 30.

Policy Action PlAn

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yeo Policy acTion Plan

The YEO Policy Action Plan is a unique opportunity to plan and execute intentional and attainable public policies and programs that align with your vision for progressive change in your states, counties, cities, school districts, and communities. This process will take you from concept through to analysis, planning, and implementation, in order to help you transform your policy visions into actions.

By completing the following steps, you will have a blueprint for the policy, program, or action you wish to take place in your community over the 12-month period following the Policy Academy.

This Policy Action Plan is not meant to be an exercise in futility, but a tool to help you create plans that will cement your image as a problem solver willing to take on the tough issues with a clear guide for success.

STEP 1 – SETTING YOUR GOALS

Based on the policy samples learned during the course of the Policy Academy, you will set your overarching goals for your community. These goals should be your general statement of what you wish to accomplish through your Policy Action Plan, as well as the specific policy that you would like to work on.

YEOs should use the “Setting Your Goals” tool to help clarify several goals to focus on and to help figure out the concrete products and outcomes of their Policy Action Plan.

STEP 2 – MAKING IT HAPPEN: STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES,

OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS

In this component, you should complete a SWOT analysis examining each of your stated goals. Explore the Strengths and Weaknesses you personally have in working to make your goals happen, and then explore the Opportunities and Threats you anticipate facing in the process of pursuing those goals. This will help you clarify your vision and guide your future work. It will also help you avoid costly mistakes as you execute your plan.

YEOs should use the “SWOT Analysis” tool to help them identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the goals for their Policy Action Plans.

STEP 3 – IDENTIFYING YOUR AUDIENCESIt is important to identify the key people and organizations in the landscape of your Policy Action Plan goals. Identifying these key players will help you plan your strategy in terms of who to approach for support, who to partner and ally with, and who you need to convince in order to move your plans forward. Knowing your audience helps you build strong bridges and support for your eventual plan of action.

Using the “Identifying Your Audiences” tool, YEOs should answer the following questions in order to create a visual representation of the political landscape of their Policy Action Plan:

• Who are these goals for?• Who are the allies that can help me?• Who will oppose these goals?• Who will support these goals?

Example

Policy Goal 1: I would like to see greater immigrant integration in the community, as well as increased civic participation by immigrant populations.

Specific Policy: Introduce and implement a Municipal ID ordinance that creates a card program available regardless of legal status, and provides identification when dealing with city government or the police and grants access to the library, city parks, and recreation services.

PolicY ActioN PlAN

Policy Action PlAn

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STEP 4 – DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS TO GET YOU THERE

In order to develop a successful Policy Action Plan, you will need to break each goal into the practical steps that will allow you to accomplish that goal. You should think through the strategies and tactics to help you achieve what you have set out to do.

Strategies are the quantifiable ways to accomplish a goal, taking into account the identified challenges brought about in the SWOT analysis and the audiences in play. There may be several strategies that need to take place in order to make the goal a reality. Tactics are the detailed steps to make the strategy happen. Imagine these as steps on a task list. It will be important to think through these carefully. YEOs should use the “Strategies & Tactics” tool to help them determine the appropriate steps.

STEP 5 – NExT STEPS: TIMELINE AND RESOURCES

After identifying your goals, analyzing them, identifying your audiences, and developing the strategies and tactics for implementation, the next step will be your timeline. The timeline will be based on your legislative body, and will help you realistically map out your Policy Action Plan implementation activities for the next 12 months, and maybe even beyond.

In working towards implementation, it is also important to determine and recognize the best resources available for continuing to develop your policies and programs. Work with the Policy Council trainers and partners, as well as your fellow YEOs to develop a comprehensive list of the best resources to use.

YEOs should use a timeline to help keep track of what they want to do and keep them accountable to what they have planned.

Example

1. Goal: I would like to see greater immigrant integration in the community, as well as increased civic participation by immigrant populations.

a. Strategy: Create easier access for immigrants, both documented and undocumented, to integrate into and participate in the community.i. Tactic: Work with local community-based organizations to learn about the needs of the immigrant populations

in my community. ii. Tactic: Work with my elected colleagues and allies to introduce and implement a Municipal ID card program,

which is available regardless of legal status, and provides identification when dealing with city government or the police and grants access to the library, city parks, and recreation services.

Policy Action PlAn

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Use this tool to clarify several goals that you wish to focus on and address in your community in the 12-month period following the Policy Council Retreat. These goals should be your general statement of what you wish to accomplish through your Policy Action Plan.

POLICY GOAL 1:

SPECIFIC POLICY:

TIMELINE:

POLICY GOAL 2:

SPECIFIC POLICY:

TIMELINE:

POLICY GOAL 3:

SPECIFIC POLICY:

TIMELINE:

seTTing your Policy goals

Policy Action PlAn

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Use this tool to clarify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats associated with the goals of your Policy Action Plan.Explore the Strengths and Weaknesses you personally have in working to make your goals happen, and then explore the Opportunities and Threats you anticipate facing in the process of pursuing those goals.

STRENGTHS

OPPORTUNITIES

WEAKNESSES

T HREATS

swoT analysis Tool

Policy Action PlAn

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GOAL 1

WHO ARE THESE GOALS FOR?

WHO ARE THE ALLIES THAT CAN HELP ME?

WHO WILL SUPPORT THESE GOALS?

WHO WILL OPPOSE THESE GOALS?

Use this tool to identify who to approach for support, who to partner with, and who you need to convince in order to move your plans forward. Answering these questions in the below chart will provide a visual representation of the political landscape that will affect the implementation of your Policy Action Plan.

Know your audience

Policy Action PlAn

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GOAL 2





Policy Action PlAn

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GOAL 3





Policy Action PlAn

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Use this tool to help you think through the strategies and tactics to help you achieve what you have set out to do in your Policy Action Plan. Strategies are the quantifiable ways to accomplish a goal, taking into account the identified challenges brought about in the SWOT analysis and the audiences in play. There may be several strategies that need to take place in order to make the goal a reality. Tactics are the detailed steps to make the strategy happen. Imagine these as steps on a task list. It will be important to think through these carefully. Please note that not all goals will have the same number of strategies and tactics, so please use this as a template and modify to meet your needs as you work through your multiple goals.

DESCRIBE YOUR GOAL:

DESCRIBE THIS STRATEGY

DESCRIBE 3 TACTICS TO SUPPORT THIS STRATEGY

STRATEGY 1

sTraTegies & TacTics

GOAL 1

Policy Action PlAn

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STRATEGY 3



STRATEGY 2



Policy Action PlAn

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DESCRIBE YOUR GOAL:



STRATEGY 1

GOAL 2



STRATEGY 2

Notes

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sPeciAl thANks

Andrew GillumDawn Huckelbridge

Conor HurleyRyan HurstLinda Inge

Adam LaRoseAlisha Morgan

Raquel Simon-Petley

This conference would not be possible without the support of the staff of People For the American Way Foundation, with special thanks to Michael Keegan, Marge Baker, Diallo Brooks, and Jen Herrick.

Many thanks to Casey Wasserman, Rica Orszag, and Amanda Emmer of the Wasserman Foundation for their support, dedication, and vision in making the Education Policy Academy possible.

[email protected]@pfaw.org [email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@pfaw.org

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Special thanks to our YEO Network fellows and interns for their hard work and dedication: Fred Adenuga, Sean Chin, Rosalia Contreras, Emily Smith and Joel Zedd.

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