Introducing Sarah Slavin, New CEO of RAFT

    SAN JOSE, CA, January 30, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT), a non-profit organization and leading provider of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) based hands-on learning, is delighted to announce the appointment of Sarah Slavin as its new CEO, effective December 18, 2017.

Sarah Slavin joins RAFT from New Leaders, an educational leadership organization, where she served as Executive Director for the West Region. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, she was the Director for Midwest Region for New Teacher Center and led a significant partnership with Chicago Public Schools, where she worked for 12 years. Sarah has been dedicated to serving the education ecosystem, and her work has led to a demonstrable impact on practice, policy, and community outcomes. She has extensive knowledge of the challenges educators face and has worked successfully to build stronger communities throughout her career. In addition to her expertise in education, Sarah is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to accelerate team results. She also has a strong track record of accomplishments in fundraising, partnership development, and brand elevation.

"Sarah is an exceptional leader with a great deal of vision, empathy, and experience. We are confident she will lead us in our mission to provide every child an opportunity to experience hands-on learning in (STEAM)," said Christine Martino, chairman of the board at RAFT.

"I am excited to lead this outstanding organization into its next phase of innovation and impact. We have a winning mission that has enabled us to support educators for nearly 25 years. RAFT fulfills an important need in the education community for hands-on STEAM learning through upcycled materials and training resources. As we approach our anniversary, I look forward to deep and meaningful engagement with our wide network--teachers, funders, partners, investors, volunteers, and members--to bring the most value possible to the educator community in our next 25 years," said Sarah Slavin, RAFT CEO.

About RAFT
RAFT - Resource Area For Teaching is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping educators inspire a child's joy and discovery of learning through hands-on education. Founded in 1994, RAFT focuses on providing educators of all types with effective, engaging, affordable, hands-on learning resources built around STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) concepts and aligned with national curriculum standards. RAFT supports this mission through STEAM activities and kits; low-cost, hands-on bulk supplies; educator coaching & curriculum development; and makerspaces--in-school areas where students can design, build, and experiment. RAFT believes the best way to spark a love of learning for the next generation of thinkers, innovators, problem-solvers, and creators is through hands-on learning. RAFT supports some 7,000 educators in the Bay Area to enrich and improve the education of more than 500,000 local students each year.

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