Boston, MA – On February 26th, Citizen Schools welcomed four new members to their National Board of Directors. Tony Barnes, Joyce Coleman, Bing Howell and Vincent Letteri, bringing nearly 80 years of combined professional experience to the four seats who are all excited to share their expertise to help drive Citizen Schools forward.

"We are excited to welcome our new board members whose zeal for our mission, professional expertise and commitment to educational equity will help us deliver on our promise to the students and communities we serve,” said Emily McCann, CEO of Citizen Schools.

Tony Barnes, Vice President of Software Engineering for the New York Technology Lab at Capital One in New York City, NY. In addition to leading a team of 150 software engineers and agile professionals to deliver tools that make the lives of Capital One associates and clients easier, he has a passion for how he can give back and use that energy to sponsor initiatives such as Capital One Coders and Male Allies (to Women in Tech).“I am personally and professionally passionate about the way that learning opportunities can change the trajectory of someone’s life,” Barnes said. “As a middle school student, I had the opportunity to participate in a program that helped show kids the value of science and engineering education. That helped set me on the course for success in my life - but I've never lost sight of the need to give young students the help and support they need and deserve! When I heard about Citizen Schools and the way they support students get that early start - I fell in love. I am thrilled to be part of the Citizen Schools family and to help support an organization that so clearly aligns to my passions.”

Joyce Coleman, Boston Public Schools parent and consultant, brings nearly 20 years experience working for organizations such as Madison Park Development Corporation, YouthBuild USA and the Boston Redevelopment Agency. Coleman says “I am excited to share my parental and professional experience in support of real-world learning for all the young people that Citizen Schools supports in helping to discover and achieve their dreams, just as my own children did in the mid 1990s as Citizen Schools apprentices.”

“It will truly take a village to ensure that every young person can take advantage of all the opportunities that this country has to offer”, says Bing Howell, Chief External Affairs Officer for the Washington State Charter Schools Association in Seattle, WA. Howell is excited to be back with Citizen School having once served as Executive Director for the New Jersey Region. Throughout his career, Howell has played a lead role in shaping some of the more ambitious education reform efforts in the nation, including in the cities of Memphis and Baton Rouge, at both the state and local levels. “Citizen Schools is one of the few organizations that is designed to bring the community into the lives of middle school youth in a way that can meaningfully close the opportunity gap. I feel fortunate that I can use my experience to support the organization in making sure more youth have access to every great opportunity.”

Finally, Vincent Letteri, Managing Director for the Technology, Media & Telecommunications team for KKR’s Private Equity platform in San Francisco, CA. Having grown up in the neighborhoods of Boston, Vincent understands first-hand the value and impact Citizen Schools can have on the lives of young students. Letteri says, “I am excited to join the National Board of Citizen Schools to help drive its mission of ensuring every adolescent has the skills, mindsets and networks to thrive in the 21st century,”

“Bing, Tony, Joyce and Vini each have a deep, personal connection to our work and have demonstrated the very competencies we are working hard to help our students develop: critical thinking, empathy, and collaborative problem solving, we can’t wait to welcome them our team.” - Emily McCann

About Citizen Schools

Citizen Schools is a national nonprofit organization that partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for children in low-income communities. Citizen Schools mobilizes a team of AmeriCorps educators and volunteer “Citizen Teachers” to teach real-world learning projects and provide academic support in order to help all students discover and achieve their dreams.

For more information, please visit citizenschools.org

MEDIA CONTACT: Kaniah Dunn, Citizen Schools, Kaniahdunn@citizenschools.org

Citizen Schools Appoints Four New Board Members to National Board of Directors

About Citizen Schools