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For Immediate Release March 25, 2015 Media Contact: Tanzi West Barbour National Director of Communications E: [email protected] P: (202) 253-‐6233 The Black Alliance for Educational Options Announces Mashea Ashton as New Board Chair at its 15th Annual BAEO Symposium in Memphis, TN Washington, DC – The Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) has named Mashea Ashton as its new Board Chair. Ashton received the “Chair’s gavel” from Dr. Howard Fuller at the 15th Annual BAEO Symposium in Memphis, TN. Ashton has served on the BAEO Board since the organization launched in 2000 and is one of the organization’s founding Board members. Ashton stated in her acceptance speech in front of more than 600 Symposium attendees, that she was poised and ready to lead the organization to its next level. “I believe we have the right strategic plan and the right vision that we will execute for the families we serve,” said Ashton. “Our children are our most precious gifts. It is our obligation to make sure each and every one of them has the knowledge, skills, and tools to get to and through college and careers of their choice. BAEO is ready, as am I, for our next level of impact.” “Mashea has been a leader in our organization long before she was named Board Chair,” said Fuller. “Serving as Vice-‐Chair for the past two years, Mashea helped us ensure that BAEO remains the authentic Black voice in education reform. She worked with me during our strategic planning process, and she’s always put the needs of the families we serve first. I am excited to pass the Chair’s gavel to Mashea and I am confident that under her leadership, BAEO will reach new levels of success.” Other BAEO Board officers elected include Dr. Deborah McGriff, Vice-‐Chair; Dawn Chavous, Secretary and, Kevin Hinton, Treasurer. “As the Interim President of BAEO, it was important to me that we have a Board Chair who not only understands the work of BAEO but has a passion for our mission,” said Jacqueline Cooper, Interim President, BAEO. “Mashea works with a level of tenacity and strength that allows her to step outside of herself and work to create unprecedented opportunities for the communities we serve.” “We believe we are on the right side of history and we will continue fighting until all of our children have access to high-‐quality educational options,” declared Ashton. ### About BAEO BAEO is a national, nonpartisan, education advocacy organization whose mission is to increase access to high-‐quality educational options for Black children by actively supporting transformational education reform initiatives and parental choice policies that empower low-‐income and working-‐class Black families. BAEO was founded in 2000 and champions parental choice policies and programs that serve low-‐income and working-‐class Black families, but is equally focused on promoting quality to ensure that Black students have access to high-‐performing schools. BAEO envisions a future where low-‐income and working-‐class Black families are empowered to choose a high-‐quality primary and secondary education for their children that enable them to pursue the college or career path of their choice, become economically independent adults, and engage in the practice of freedom.