FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 30, 2007
Contact:
Marci Bransdorf / (410) 223-2852 / mbransdorf@aecf.org
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The Annie E. Casey Foundation Announces 2007-08 Fellowship Class
Sixteen Children and Family Services Leaders Selected for Program
Baltimore, MD - The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a national foundation working to improve outcomes for vulnerable kids, is pleased to announce its 2007-08 Children and Family Fellowship Class. The 16 men and women selected for the program are accomplished child welfare administrators, nonprofit leaders, and community development professionals from across the country, committed to helping low-income families succeed as parents, community members, and productive participants in the workforce and economy.
The Casey Foundation created the Children and Family Fellowship to increase the pool of leaders with the vision and ability to create and sustain major system reforms and community initiatives that benefit large numbers of children and families. The 18-month program brings together leaders from various professional backgrounds, geographic regions, and racial and ethnic groups to participate in a series of leadership opportunities. The Fellowship includes executive seminars, site visits to observe innovations in the field, and work on custom-crafted projects to provide real-time application and learning.
“The Fellowship program is an important investment in the future of the human services field, and ultimately in the futures of vulnerable kids,” said Douglas W. Nelson, president of the Casey Foundation.
Established in 1993, the Casey Foundation’s Children and Family Fellowship program has had six classes with a total of 59 participants who now make up the Casey Fellows Alumni Network. The Casey Fellows Network provides opportunities for professional collaboration and conducts ongoing leadership development activities. Alumni members include: Brenda Donald, who was recently appointed secretary of Maryland’s Department of Human Resources by Governor Martin O’Malley; Molly McGrath, deputy commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Health and Human Services; and Norman Yee, president of the San Francisco Board of Education.
“We all know that leadership matters – that great ideas alone won’t make a big difference in the lives of vulnerable families without visionary, courageous, competent leaders who turn ideas into action,” said Donna Stark, director of Leadership Development for the Casey Foundation. “The Children and Family Fellowship is designed to support and strengthen leaders’ ability to make measurable differences for children, families, and communities.”
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private charitable organization, whose primary mission is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today’s vulnerable children and families.
The Casey Foundation’s 2007-2008 Children and Family Fellows are:
Douglas Ammar, executive director of the Georgia Justice Project; Atlanta
Karen Baynes, associate director of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Athens, GA
Fred Blackwell, director of the Mayor's Office of Community Development; San Francisco, CA
Robin Brule, executive director of the Central New Mexico Community College Foundation; Albuquerque
Daniel Cardinali, president of Communities in Schools, Inc.; Alexandria, VA
Dana Jackson, Making Connections site coordinator with Kentucky Youth Advocates; Louisville
Vinodh Kutty, administrative manager/coordinator of the Office of Multicultural Services Hennepin County; Minneapolis, MN
Rafael Lopez, interim executive director for the Commission for Children, Youth, and their Families; Los Angeles, CA
Steven McCullough, president and CEO of Bethel New Life, Inc.; Chicago, IL
Chris McInnish, deputy commissioner of the Alabama Department of Children's Affairs; Montgomery
Tyronda Minter, program director for Metro Atlanta Youth Opportunities Initiative; Georgia
Alice Shobe, director of the Gates Foundation Sound Families Initiative, Seattle Office of Housing; Washington
Tony Thurmond, executive director of Beyond Emancipation; Oakland, CA
Marian Urquilla, executive director of the Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support Collaborative; Washington, DC
Juanita Valdez-Cox, LUPE state director for La Union del Pueblo Entero; San Juan, TX
Anne Williams-Isom, deputy commissioner for NYC Administration for Children's Services; New York
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Marci Bransdorf at (410) 223-2852 or mbransdorf@aecf.org.
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