Packnett Brings Classroom and Advocacy Experience to Role Leading Efforts to Expand Educational Opportunity for Local Students
For Immediate Release
Contact: Becky O’Neill | Teach For America
646.369.9374 | becky.oneill@teachforamerica.org
ST. LOUIS, December 19, 2012—Brittany Packnett has been named executive director of Teach For America-St. Louis. A native of the city and alumna of Teach For America, Packnett will be responsible for overseeing daily regional operations; cultivating private, public, and foundation support; and building community partnerships. Previously, she served as director of government affairs for Teach For America in Washington, D.C.
Packnett joined Teach For America as a corps member in 2007. After teaching third grade for two years at King Elementary in Southeast Washington, D.C., she went to work as a legislative assistant for her hometown congressman, Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, advising on matters related to education, family policy, and the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee. She then returned to Teach For America as a staff member, serving on the Government Affairs team while volunteering as the executive director of Dream Girls DMV: A Mentoring Program for Girls and as founding co-chair of The Collective-DC, Teach For America’s organization for alumni of color in the region.
She is the daughter of Dr. Gwendolyn D. Packnett, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the late Rev. Ronald Packnett, former pastor of Central Baptist Church and a civil rights leader and community organizer.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brittany home to St. Louis, and to have her vision and leadership as we continue to work towards greater educational opportunity in our public schools,” said Rich McClure, board chair of Teach For America-St. Louis. “Her experience and unshakable commitment to educational excellence for all will help to empower the next generation of student, parent, and teacher leaders in our city.”
Packnett credits her classroom experience for solidifying her commitment to educational equity. “My time as a teacher taught me so much about what children are capable of when given the opportunities and supports they need,” she said. “I am so honored to be able to do this critical work in thecity that raised me and with a group of such talented corps members, alumni, staff, families, partners, and supporters. Together, we can deliver on the promise of equal opportunity for the students in our region.”
Packnett is an alumna of the John B. Ervin Scholars program at Washington University in St. Louis and American University in Washington.
“The energy and ambition Brittany brings to this role is truly inspiring,” said Kwame Griffith, senior vice president of regional operations at Teach For America. “Her love for St. Louis and her commitment to its students will be a great asset as she engages with parent, teachers, principals, and community partners across the region.”
Teach For America has been a community partner in St. Louis since 2002. This year, 190 Teach For America corps members will reach some 13,000 students in local public schools. Another 350 Teach For America alumni call the St. Louis area home and continue working from all sectors for educational excellence and equity.
About Teach For America
Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding individuals of all academic disciplines to commit two years to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. Today, more than 10,000 corps members are teaching in 46 urban and rural regions across the country while nearly 28,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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