    
National Education Leader Joins ConnCAN Tom Vander Ark, president of X PRIZE, and former executive director of education for Gates Foundation, ‘proud to have an opportunity to contribute to this critical effort’ Contact: Marc Porter Magee “I'm delighted to announce that Tom Vander Ark is joining ConnCAN's advisory board,” said Jon Sackler, chairman of ConnCAN’s board of directors. “Tom brings an invaluable perspective as a former superintendent, head of education grants for America’s largest foundation, and a leader in tackling big public challenges with innovation and entrepreneurship.” As executive director of education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for seven years, Vander Ark implemented more than $3.5 billion in investments to improve American public education. He currently serves as president of the X PRIZE Foundation, a nonprofit institute that designs and manages public competitions to promote breakthrough innovations in education, energy, space exploration, medicine and the environment. Previously, he was one of the first superintendents recruited from the private sector to lead a public school district. Prior to serving as a successful superintendent, Vander Ark ran a consulting practice for Cap Gemini and was a senior executive for a $5 billion national retailer. He is the author of more than 100 articles on the subject of education and in 2006 was voted by Newsweek readers as the most influential baby boomer in education. “In its first three years, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now has emerged as one of America’s most innovative and effective state-level education advocacy organizations,” said Vander Ark. “From its Parent Empowerment Workshops to its School Report Cards to its Great Schools for All policy plan, ConnCAN is playing a critical role in helping boost the performance of Connecticut’s urban public schools. I am proud to have an opportunity to contribute to this critical effort and I look forward to the progress to come over the next three years in the push to close America’s largest achievement gap.” Vander Ark joins a distinguished group of 45 board and advisory board members in supporting the education advocacy group, which has offices in New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut. ConnCAN’s advisory board includes five leaders of foundations, four current or former university presidents, four current or former presidents or CEOs of major businesses, the chairman of the State Board of Education, the former chairman of the Ford Foundation, the former Connecticut Commissioner of Education, an Academy Award-winning director, and numerous other leaders in Connecticut’s communities. In 2007 ConnCAN’s website (www.conncan.org) received more than 75,000 visits, making it the most visited advocacy website in Connecticut according to Alexa.com. Its School Report Cards page was visited more than 20,000 times, visitors downloaded more than 8,000 reports, briefs and parent guides, and more than 3,000 people signed its “Great Schools for All” petition. ### To schedule an interview with Tom Vander Ark or to learn more about ConnCAN’s work, call Marc Porter Magee at 203-586-9313 or email Marc at marc.magee@conncan.org. The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) is a statewide outreach, education, and research organization working to close Connecticut’s achievement gap. To learn more visit: www.conncan.org | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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