Broad Spectrum of L.A. Community Members React Positively to LA's Promise Board of Directors' Choice of Veronica Melvin as LA's Promise President and CEO

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of Los Angeles education, corporate, and nonprofit communities today joined parents, teachers and community leaders in lending support and praise for the selection of Veronica Melvin as the incoming President and CEO of LA's Promise:

Monica Garcia, President, Los Angeles Board of Education
"LAUSD values strong partnerships with community organizations such as LA's Promise," said LAUSD Board President Monica Garcia.  "As Veronica Melvin assumes the role of President and CEO of the organization, we look forward to our continued collaboration with LA's Promise and the work ahead in transforming our schools in South Los Angeles so that our children are college-ready, healthy and successful in life."

John Deasy, Superintendent, L.A. Unified School District
"Veronica Melvin is an excellent choice for president and CEO of LA's Promise. I applaud the LA's Promise Board of Directors for choosing a new top executive with impeccable credentials, a spirit of activism, collaborative experiences, keen knowledge, sharply focused management know-how and an acute sensitivity to the needs of diverse neighborhoods and communities. I look forward to working closely with Veronica in the months and years ahead as we strive cooperatively to deliver the best results possible for students, teachers, administrators, parents and schools in the LA's Promise community."

Yolie Flores, CEO, Communities for Teaching Excellence
"Communities for Teaching Excellence will be losing an exceptionally talented, giving, and capable leader as Veronica Melvin prepares to leave our executive team to join L.A.'s Promise as its chief executive. Veronica is one smart woman. She is ready for this challenging step in her career. Our loss at Communities for Teaching Excellence may be L.A.'s Promise's gain, but the real winners in this move will be the students, parents, teachers, principals and school administrators who will now collaborate with Veronica in pursuit of academic excellence and positive community impact. We look forward to supporting her in the effort to the ensure every child experiences effective teaching, in every classroom, every year."

Dr. Jose Iniguez, Principal, West Adams Preparatory High School
"West Adams welcomes Veronica Melvin as part of our team that is continuously looking for innovative ways to support our students and families."

Dr. Nisha Dugal, Principal, John Muir Middle School
"Veronica Melvin comes to LA's Promise with a reputation of excellence, integrity and a drive to produce positive results for the people and communities. We look forward to working with Ms. Melvin as she prepares to lead the LA's Promise team."

Ms. Karen Orpe, teacher, John Muir Middle School and member, LA's Promise Community Advisory Council|
"I hear we're going to have a young, dynamic and accomplished woman leading LA's Promise. What's not to like about that. I look forward to this new era of leadership at LA's Promise and what it can mean for our school, and its students and teachers."

Irma Galvez, parent, Manual Arts High School
"I am excited to have someone that I can identify with, a Latina mother, that has experience working in the community.  I look forward to meeting her and listening to her mission.  I am hopeful because she has experience with students and parents and her background makes me feel confident in her work.  I feel that there will be a brighter future and I hope we can work in partnership with her."

Dr. Robert K. Ross, M.D., President and CEO, The California Endowment
"We have the utmost confidence in Veronica Melvin's abilities as she prepares to step into the role of LA's Promise president and CEO. Veronica understands and appreciates the interconnection of education and health, particularly for underserved neighborhoods where academic achievement can be hampered by a lack of adequate access to health and dental care and a safe and vibrant community. We stand behind Veronica as she begins her work to fulfill the promise and potential of LA's Promise."

Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President and CEO, Community Coalition
"I have known Veronica for some time and have stood shoulder to shoulder with her in important struggles for educational equity.  She has a knack for working across sectors and with this region's diverse communities.  Veronica is committed to both her team and the task at hand. She is a welcomed addition."

Jose A Ramos Jr., Children's Bureau, LAP Community Advisory Council
"Veronica Melvin will make for LA's Promise and our community. She comes with high praise and warm feelings from people we respect in other communities. If she does here what I'm told she has done elsewhere, we're in for great times in our community."

Brian McNamee, Senior Vice President, Amgen and LA's Promise Board of Directors Executive Committee
"Veronica Melvin was our best choice from a list of tremendous candidates for LA's Promise CEO. I place in Veronica my highest level of confidence. I predict she will have a hugely successful tenure as our organization's leader. Veronica will use her knowledge, skill and tenacity to build a strong and cohesive team atmosphere at LA's Promise that will take our organization and the LA's Promise community to new heights."

Claudia Keller, Senior Vice President/Executive Director, American Heart Association
"Bravo, LA's Promise, bravo! Veronica Melvin is an excellent choice for President and CEO. I know she will do great things. I'm ready to help her in anyway I can."

Ms. Melvin will assume her new post as head of LA's Promise in mid-November.

LA's Promise is a nonprofit organization working to radically shift the education, health and social outcomes for thousands of youth in one South Los Angeles community. LA's Promise transforms chronically failing public schools, opens new schools and remakes schools into community hubs that offer comprehensive support services for students and families. LA's Promise will prepare every child in LA's Promise Neighborhood to be college-ready, healthy and successful in life. For more information on LA's Promise, please go to www.laspromise.org.

Contact:
Fred MacFarlane, (213) 369-8425
Nichol Whiteman, (213) 745-4928, ext. 5121

SOURCE LA's Promise