Cambridge, MA, May 12, 2008 – The Schott Foundation for Public Education welcomes Johnette Ruffner-Ceaser to the staff as the new Development and Marketing Manager. Mrs. Ceaser joins The Schott Foundation from the NAACP, where she recently served as the National Director of Policy Training. Mrs. Ceaser was responsible for increasing the NAACP’s advocacy capacity through training and information sharing opportunities for NAACP units and constituents, specifically in the areas of education, health, economic empowerment, criminal justice, civic engagement and international affairs. One of her most significant accomplishments in this role was her ability to solidify a strategic partnership between the NAACP and the University of Phoenix. The partnership was designed to provide web-based advocacy and leadership training to NAACP units. The customized training incorporated the University’s innovative electronic learning tools, ranging from online forums and webinars, to video on-demand recordings of NAACP leaders.

Prior to being promoted to National Director of Policy Training, she served as the NAACP National Assistant Director of Education for four years. In this role, she assisted in leading the NAACP National Education Advocacy Agenda, which focuses on closing the achievement gap by ensuring resource equity, increasing parental involvement, improving teacher quality, and building state and local collaborative networks. In addition, she provided direct assistance and conducted research to assist NAACP local, state, college and youth units in their efforts to address these pertinent educational issues. Before her appointment as the National Assistant Director of Education, Mrs. Ceaser served as the NAACP National Coordinator for the Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute (YEI). YEI is a program designed to prepare youth for economic success by teaching basic business fundamentals through entrepreneurship.

Mrs. Ceaser will project manage the overall marketing and development plan for The Schott Foundation’s program agenda and funding strategy. In addition, she will coordinate special events, create forums for collaborative opportunities with representative leadership, and manage donor relations.

Mrs. Ceaser has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Master of Arts in Telecommunications from George Mason University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Education Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland College Park.

About The Schott Foundation for Public Education

Founded in 1991, The Schott Foundation for Public Education seeks to develop and strengthen a broad-based and representative movement to achieve fully resourced high quality preK-12 public education.