BOSTON, March 25, 2008 – Cheryl A. LaFleur joins The Steppingstone Foundation as president and CEO this spring, partnering with founder Michael P. Danziger in leading the non-profit into its next phase. Since 1990, Danziger has overseen the organization’s substantial growth in Boston as well as its expansion to Philadelphia and Hartford. Effective April 1, 2008, LaFleur’s leadership and community experience will pair with Danziger’s experience and passion to help Steppingstone take the next steps in its quest to help more urban schoolchildren gain access to educational opportunities that lead to college.
LaFleur comes to The Steppingstone Foundation from National Grid’s U.S. energy distribution business where she was in corporate leadership for more than 20 years, most recently as executive vice president and acting U.S. CEO. She also serves or has served on numerous nonprofit and community boards, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the United Ways of Central Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. She began her career as an attorney in Boston, and is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.
“As the first person in my family to graduate from college, I know firsthand the transforming potential of a college education,” said LaFleur. “I am excited about working with the Steppingstone team to build on its vision and past success, and help more children achieve the goal of attending college and succeeding beyond graduation.”
Recently, Steppingstone has begun a number of new initiatives aimed at increasing college access for underserved schoolchildren. In late 2006, Steppingstone partnered with the Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation to launch The Steppingstone Academy Hartford in Connecticut which will graduate its first class of Scholars this summer. In 2007, Steppingstone launched The National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA). This collaborative action tank aims to share best practices among member programs across the country and ensure innovation in the field of college access.
“Cheryl is a proven leader and is committed to the mission of this organization,” said Danziger. “She has the skills needed to help Steppingstone grow in ways we haven’t yet imagined, both programmatically and geographically.”
ABOUT THE STEPPINGSTONE FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, The Steppingstone Foundation is a nonprofit organization that develops and implements programs that prepare urban schoolchildren for educational opportunities that lead to college. In 2008, Steppingstone will serve 900 students in grades five through 12. For additional information, please visit the Steppingstone website at www.tsf.org.
