Great Hearts Academies Announces Hiring of New Communications Director

PHOENIX, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Great Hearts Academies announces the hiring of Bill Odell as its new Director of Strategic Communications with responsibilities for setting, driving and implementing a network-wide strategy for critical communications efforts.

"We are so pleased to have Bill join the Great Hearts team. He brings a wealth of experience to this role and our organization," said Katie Cobb, Great Hearts' SVP for Advancement. "We are excited to move to the next level in developing meaningful communications that will effectively connect and engage with our key audiences, including students, parents, staff and the communities we serve."

Mr. Odell has a rich background in corporate communications, strategy development, media production, digital communications and social media. His career has included communications leadership positions with Motorola, Philips Electronics and most recently Universal Technical Institute.

As Great Hearts continues to expand its charter school academy network, communications will be key in helping to support and grow its brand in both our current and future locations.

About Great Hearts Academies:
Great Hearts is a non-profit network of public charter schools dedicated to improving education nationwide through classical preparatory K-12 academies. As the largest provider of classical education in the country, Great Hearts academies serve more than 13,000 students at 29 public schools in greater Phoenix, Ariz. and San Antonio and Irving, Tex., with waitlists that exceed enrollment. A Great Hearts education prepares students to be more than just proficient test takers, but rather, to become great-hearted leaders capable of success throughout their higher education and professional careers. A Great Hearts education cultivates the skills necessary for success: the ability to innovate through creativity, the ability to communicate clearly, the ability to apply critical thought through analysis and questioning the world around us, and through building virtue and character in order to demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity.

Key Statistics:

• The Great Hearts SAT average over the past five years is 1210, a 200 point advantage over the national average.
• 98% of Great Hearts graduates immediately attend universities and colleges, with 2% participating in military service or a gap year; 54% of graduates pursue a STEM-focused course of study in college.
• The 340 graduates in the Great Hearts Class of 2016 were admitted to 327 colleges and universities in 46 states and seven countries.  In fact, graduates were accepted to 22 of the top 25 national universities according to US News and World Report.
• The class of 2016 received an estimated $50 million in scholarships, averaging out to an astounding $147,000 per student!

Learn more at www.greatheartsamerica.org.

Contact:
Katie Cobb
SVP for Advancement, Great Hearts Academies
[email protected] or (602) 889-5032

SOURCE Great Hearts Academies

Related Links

http://www.greatheartsamerica.org