CEI Appoints Experienced Colorado K-12 Champion as President and CEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2016

Contact Information:
Melissa Reeves
720-502-4756 work
303-856-8098 cell
mreeves@coloradoedinitiative.org

Denver, Colorado – The Colorado Education Initiative’s (CEI) board of trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of the organization’s new President & CEO, Rebecca Holmes, who joins the CEI team in January 2017.

“We’re excited that Rebecca is joining the CEI team,” said CEI Board of Trustees Chairman Leroy Williams. “Her experienced leadership, vision, and passion for making a difference in Colorado education is contagious — while she understands the dynamics and unique challenges of Colorado’s K-12 public education system. Her wealth of experience and ability to partner and collaborate will be great assets in advancing CEI’s mission to help all students achieve success.”

Starting her education career as a teacher in Denver’s Cole neighborhood, Holmes is a proud alumna of Colorado’s public schools, a graduate of Yale University, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Holmes brings an extensive background in K-12 education and organization leadership to guide the next chapter in CEI’s development and has held several leadership positions in Colorado education focused on innovation and student outcomes.  She has also worked for several Colorado philanthropic foundations and has private-sector experience with Deloitte Consulting — where she worked with a variety of clients on change management, talent strategies, and organizational design.

“CEI has played an important role in classrooms, schools, and districts across Colorado and it will be a privilege to lead the next phase of that work,” said Holmes. “Our state’s future depends on what we provide now for our students and CEI has proven it can be a partner and a catalyst in helping leaders on the ground take learning to the next level.”

Holmes leaves the local Gates Family Foundation as their Senior Program Officer for Education to join CEI’s team and was previously at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) as the Associate Commissioner for Innovation, Choice, and Engagement. Prior to CDE, Holmes served as the CEO of a public charter school network serving over 90 percent low-income students.

About The Colorado Education Initiative

The Colorado Education Initiative is an independent nonprofit working in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education, educators, schools, districts, and other public education stakeholders to accelerate educational improvement and innovation across Colorado. CEI envisions that every student in Colorado is prepared and unafraid to succeed in school, work, and life, and ready to take on the challenges of today, tomorrow, and beyond.