May 7, 2015

Drexel University's School of Education hosted an interactive event on an emerging strategy for change in urban education.

The strategy, known as Collective Impact, provided an opportunity for individuals and organizations, who would otherwise work in isolation, to come together to achieve common goals:

• Learn about the principles and practices of collective impact
• Discover how collective impact is being successfully used in education
• Network with individuals and organizations currently using the strategy to make real change in Philadelphia

Together, we can make a collective impact for change in urban education.

Special Guests

Stacy E. Holland

With over 22 years experience, Stacy E. Holland is a tireless advocate who has played a vital role in ensuring that youth in the Philadelphia region have access to the academic, career and support services necessary to build bright futures and prepare them to be leaders in the workforce. Currently, serving as Executive Director of The Lenfest Foundation, Ms. Holland will continue to pursue her passion of serving disadvantaged youth throughout Philadelphia.

Most recently, Ms. Holland serves as the Chief of Strategic Partnerships for the School District of Philadelphia. Stacy built an office of Strategic Partnerships, which was responsible for organizing the eco-system of partnerships, which served over 200+ schools, as well as leading the district’s fundraising initiatives. Prior to her assignment with the School District, Stacy served as the President & CEO of the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN), a non-profit she co-founded in 1999, Ms. Holland oversaw the growth of the organization since its inception. Starting as a small non-profit organization, PYN grew into an independent, citywide entity dedicated to integrating services and building systems that promotes positive postsecondary and economic outcomes for young people serving over 15,000 youth annually with an annual budget of over $30 M.

In addition to her professional work, Stacy volunteers with the following organizations: Community College of Philadelphia, where she serves as the Chair of the Student Outcomes Committee; Wells Fargo Regional Foundation; and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Rancocas Valley Alumni Chapter. Stacy has received numerous awards and recognitions for her service. She has been awarded the Educator of the Year Award from Need in Deed (2014); White House Champion of Change Award(2013); Smart CEO Brava Award (2012); Outstanding Service Award from Sankofa Freedom Charter School (2012); and the Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award (2005).

Ms. Holland holds an undergraduate degree from The College of New Jersey in Marketing with an International Certification and a graduate degree in Student Development from Teachers College, Columbia University.

View Stacy E. Holland’s presentation, Designing Solutions to Complex Social Problems – Understanding the process of Collective Impact [PDF]

Donna Cooper

Donna Cooper is the Executive Director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the region’s leading child advocacy organization. Before taking the helm at PCCY, Donna was a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress where she focused on early childhood education, public infrastructure and poverty research.

Ms. Cooper served as the Secretary of Policy and Planning for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2003-2010. While in that position, she led the development of the state’s Cover All Kids program, which expanded access to affordable health care to nearly every child in the state. She led a seven-year effort to boost funding for K-12 public education by over $2 billion and designed the state’s groundbreaking school funding formula, which was enacted in 2008. Ms. Cooper also helped launched the state’s model approach to investments in early childhood education and increased funding to make college affordable for low-income and working class students while creating one of the nation’s best systems to ensure that community college students can easily transfer credits to four-year colleges.

Ms. Cooper was the founding Executive Director of Good Schools PA, a grassroots organizing campaign that successfully pushed public education to be the top issue in the 2002 race for Governor. She also served for three years as the City of Philadelphia’s Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning where she designed and led Greater Philadelphia Works, one of the nation’s largest and most successful efforts to help single mothers on welfare achieve self-sufficiency.

Ms. Cooper has a MGA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels School of Government and a Master’s in Intercultural Management from the School for International Training.

View Donna Cooper’s presentation, READ! By 4th Ready * Engaged * Able * Determined [PDF]