New President Chosen for L.A. School Fund
The Los Angeles Educational Partnership, one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most successful public education funds, has selected a new president and chief executive officer.
Susan Way-Smith, 50, will take over from Peggy Funkhouser, who retired recently after heading up the partnership since its founding in 1984.
Los Angeles Educational Partnership grew out of a casual restaurant conversation among business and community leaders about how to improve education in the Los Angeles Unified School District. At the time, corporations paid little attention to public schools, concentrating on higher education.
Under Funkhouser’s leadership, the partnership has raised more than $50 million from corporations and foundations and undertaken efforts to improve the teaching of math, science and humanities through innovative professional development. The partnership also was involved in the creation of LEARN, the largest school reform effort in L.A. Unified, and in the $100-million Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project.
Way-Smith is director of business development for Teledyne Electronic Technologies, which makes components for communications, industrial, medical and aerospace uses.
Los Angeles Educational Partnership has a $7-million annual budget.
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