After completing the successful launch of EducateNKY over the past year, President/CEO Tim Hanner announced he will retire in July 2024. Hired by the startup organization in July 2023 after it was launched by the OneNKY Alliance, Hanner helped expand the Board of Directors, convened an Advisory Council, and introduced the new organization to the community while it undertook a regional landscape assessment that would set its strategic priorities.
The former Kenton County School Superintendent and nonprofit leader currently is guiding EducateNKY’s five work groups comprised of community leaders to provide input for the organization’s strategic plan and working to ensure the change in leadership is seamless and maintains momentum.
“Working with the EducateNKY Board and staff and key community leaders over the past year has been one of the highlights of my career,” said Hanner. “It has been a true honor to help create a foundation that will lead to expanded opportunities for youth and their families in Northern Kentucky.”
Jim Votruba, President/Emeritus Northern Kentucky University and EducateNKY Vice-Chair expressed his gratitude to Hanner and commitment to build on his efforts to further extend the reach and impact of EducateNKY.
“Tim’s work has been transformative for EducateNKY and the NKY community,” he said. “He is a systems thinker and a visionary, with a heart for every student and their families and strong commitment to creating lasting change. He has established a legacy of inclusivity, innovation and transparency that I know will be fostered and evolve far into the future.”
EducateNKY’s Board of Directors has selected Cheye Calvo as its new President/CEO, effective August 1. Calvo is the founder and president of C Squared Strategies, a consulting practice focused on elevating the impact and building the capacity of nonprofit organizations and educational networks. He has spent the past ten months completing a comprehensive assessment of Northern Kentucky’s education landscape, interviewing hundreds of stakeholders, analyzing community data, and exploring what makes the NKY region unique.
“Northern Kentucky is a special place with a big heart and a strong commitment to educational excellence,” he said. “I am honored to join with the EducateNKY Board, education leaders, and stakeholders from across the community to help fashion an education system that meets the needs of every student and provides robust pathways from cradle to career for all children to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Calvo began his career in county government in his native Prince George’s County, Md, as chief of staff to a county councilwoman. He worked for multiple state organizations, most notably the National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL) where he served as a researcher and policy expert and directed federal affairs on a diverse array of issues. Following his state service, Calvo served on the leadership teams of two educational nonprofit organizations, The SEED Foundation, where he partnered with communities across the country – including in Cincinnati – to explore innovative educational options, and Rocketship Public Schools, where he led external impact and strategic growth. From 2004 to 2015, Cheye was the elected mayor of the town of Berwyn Heights, Md., just outside of Washington, D.C. He earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in history from the University of Wyoming. He will be relocating with his family to NKY from San Jose, California.
Hanner and Calvo have worked closely together the past year and now work to ensure the best path forward for EducateNKY.
“Having worked closely with Cheye over the past ten months, I am confident that he has the background, determination and disposition needed to enable powerful outcomes across schools, businesses, nonprofits, agencies, and cities,” said Hanner. “Cheye brings a wealth of relevant experience, but improving outcomes for young people is at his core.”
In addition to Calvo, EducateNKY announces the hiring of Tom Haggard to the role of Vice-President, Community Engagement, Development and Advocacy.
Haggard spent most of his life in the City of Covington as a student, community volunteer, and education advocate. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance (KYOSA), a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth in Kentucky have access to quality afterschool and summer learning programs. Prior to joining KYOSA, Haggard served as Associate Director of Covington Partners where he oversaw multiple afterschool and summer learning programs that served 2,500 students annually. Haggard holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Thomas More University and Master’s Public Administration from Northern Kentucky University. He is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky as well as the 2019 recipient of Next Generation Leader Award in Education & Workforce.
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Educate NKY,” said Haggard. “If we are going to improve educational outcomes for all young people, we have to take a holistic, community-based approach and that’s exactly what this organization is committed to accomplishing. I look forward to working with so many dedicated stakeholders.”
Board Chair Greg Fischer summarized feelings on behalf of the full Board, “As we welcome Cheye and Tom to their new roles, we are filled with optimism about the future of EducateNKY. The leadership commitment and the broad community involvement to set a strategic direction both reflect our dedication to the children and families of Northern Kentucky and promise to continue our pursuit of educational innovation and excellence. With these changes, we are not just planning for the next chapter in our story: we are preparing to redefine what’s possible in education across our region.”
EducateNKY is a local non-profit dedicated to ensuring that the Northern Kentucky education landscape is one of the best at meeting the needs of families and learners. To do this, we gathered a group of local leaders and committed volunteers who envision an education ecosystem that ignites every eager, vibrant mind. It is dedicated to expanding existing and new opportunities and improving outcomes for all children and their families through the exploration and adoption of innovative approaches to prenatal-12 education in the region.
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