Leadership Transition at the Carlsbad Educational Foundation
Dear Friend of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation,
We are writing to share news of leadership transitions at the Carlsbad Educational Foundation.
After over ten years of highly productive service to CEF—first on the Board of Directors and then as CEO since 2015—Michelle Ginn has resigned her role at the foundation to pursue other opportunities. We are proud of all that we have accomplished for the benefit of our public-school students during Michelle’s tenure.
Under her leadership, the foundation achieved significant milestones, including an increase in program funding from $500K to more than $1.1 million annually to benefit Carlsbad Unified School District students. The foundation has invested in systems, infrastructure and business operations that have fueled significant increases in profitability and expanded corporate engagement. In addition, Michelle’s focus on strengthening collaborations with CUSD and in the community enabled CEF to introduce more impactful signature programs and raise the foundation’s visibility as a model for educational partnerships.
Over the past seven months during the COVID-19 global pandemic, CEF programs and business model have been faced with unprecedented challenges. During this time we secured additional funding through loans and grants that have kept the foundation on strong fiscal footing so that we can continue to serve Carlsbad students now and in the future.
Michelle notes that “All of these accomplishments provided the fiscal stability, vision, and connections to serve even more Carlsbad students across all grade levels and at all schools with an array of opportunities in music, STEM, and innovation. Sharing Mission Moments and visiting school sites to see CEF programs in action have been incredibly rewarding leadership experiences for me. The introduction of the CEF Student Leadership Council in 2016 has been the most rewarding experience of all. Working with and mentoring students directly and witnessing their personal growth as leaders has been amazing.”
During this leadership transition, Laura Pitts will be serving as Interim CEO. Thank you for your continued support of the foundation and our 11,000 students.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
Carlsbad Educational Foundation