(Oakland, CA, July 9, 2021) – NewSchools Venture Fund today announced Danielle Kristine Toussaint as its new Chief External Affairs Officer. This executive role was created to amplify the stories, impact, influence, and innovation that have emerged from NewSchools growing investment portfolio and bring all the organizations’ donor stewardship, thought leadership, and external messaging into powerful strategic alignment.
“NewSchools is at an inflection point in our journey, and we see an incredible opportunity to leverage the stories of impact and innovation from across our portfolio. After a yearlong search, we identified someone with the right mix of expertise, passion, and vision to help us breakthrough in our storytelling and thought leadership and build for the future” said Stacey Childress, CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund.
In this new role, Ms. Toussaint will lead brand storytelling and engagement, broker strategic partnerships, and provide oversight and support to our development and communications efforts. She brings to the team extensive experience in social enterprise and nonprofit leadership and a deep commitment to and passion for advancing educational and economic equity. She is currently wrapping up a yearlong term as the inaugural Morgridge Communicator in Residence with Ascend at the Aspen Institute. Previously, Danielle founded and led She Thinks Purple, a women-powered creative agency, where she advised and partnered with impact-driven entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders. She is author of the book, Dare to Think Purple- A Survival Guide for Women in Social Entrepreneurship, published by New Degree Press. Danielle has also been the writing pen behind op-eds and speeches for Huffington Post, Forbes.com, and TEDx. She’s spoken on live and virtual stages for events hosted by Taco Bell Foundation, Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program, Ellevate Network, and Fearless Communicators.
Frances Messano, President of NewSchools noted, “Over the last seven years, NewSchools has been investing in diverse leaders advancing innovative solutions and achieving meaningful results in communities and schools. Now is the time to invest in uplifting their stories of impact, authentic community partnership, and learning. We look forward to Danielle leading this work.”
“NewSchools’ mission is personal and the vision for change aligns powerfully with my own. It’s an absolute privilege that my charge at NewSchools as CXO is to amplify the stories of the people who are making a difference and to demonstrate the possibility of scaling innovations in education. We need this inspiration now more than ever” stated Danielle Kristine Toussaint.
About NewSchools Venture Fund
NewSchools Venture Fund is a nonprofit venture philanthropy that invests in promising teams of educators and innovators with the vision and skills to reimagine learning. We help them accomplish their missions to achieve outstanding results for the students, educators and schools they serve. We are committed to helping students finish high school prepared and inspired to achieve their most ambitious dreams and plans. Through our investing, management assistance, network building and thought leadership, NewSchools helps to reimagine PreK-12 education.
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