CINCINNATI, OH, Jan. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StriveTogether, a national network of nearly 70 communities spanning 30 states and Washington, D.C., is expanding its board of directors with the addition of Richard Raya, chief strategy officer at Mission Economic Development Agency in San Francisco, California, the anchor entity of Cradle to Career Network member Mission Promise Neighborhood.
Raya has a long history of scaling equitable change across systems. Prior to this role, he was chief of staff for an Oakland City councilmember and the director of administration for the Alameda County Public Health Department. In his current role, he helped Mission Promise to become one of the only Promise Neighborhoods in the country to successfully advocate for both city and state resources to replace its federal funding to ensure the sustainability of the program.
“Each of our board members share a deep belief that race, ethnicity and poverty should not determine a child’s opportunity or outcome,” says StriveTogether President and CEO Jennifer Blatz. “Richard Raya has demonstrated this same commitment and also understands the need to transform systems in order to get better results for youth and families.”
StriveTogether also announced new officers leading the board of directors, including:
- Russell Booker – Board chair and CEO of Cradle to Career Network member Spartanburg Academic Movement in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He will be succeeding Danae Davis, who recently retired as executive director of Milwaukee Succeeds
- Tony Pipa – Board vice chair and a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution
- Andi Phillips – Treasurer and co-founder and managing partner at Maycomb Capital
- Robert Blaine – Secretary and senior executive and director of the Institute for Youth, Education and Families at the National League of Cities.
Board officers serve one year terms that are eligible for consecutive renewal.
In addition to accepting a three-year term on the StriveTogether board of directors, Raya is also a board member for SPUR, co-chair of the African American Latino Action Alliance and a member of the Executive Committee for End Child Poverty in California.
About StriveTogether
StriveTogether partners with nearly 70 communities across the country to advance equity so local success stories can become the reality for every child, everywhere. They work to transform failing systems using collaborative improvement and a proven framework for change. The StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network is closing disparity gaps in education, housing and so much more. Together, they impacted the lives of more than 14 million youth – more than half are children of color – across 30 states and Washington, D.C. Learn more strivetogether.org.
