| For Immediate Release November 19, 2004 |
Contacts: | Milly Hawk Daniel 212-629-9570 x212 mdaniel@policylink.org |
| Judith Bell 510-663-4308 jbell@policylink.org |
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Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and Chief Executive
Officer of PolicyLink, Announces Senior Staff Promotions
New York, NY and Oakland, CA: Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and chief executive officer of PolicyLink, today announced senior staff promotions, effective immediately, that will strengthen the national nonprofit organization’s ability to advance policies promoting economic and social equity throughout the United States.
"PolicyLink is growing," said Blackwell, "and increasingly becoming a source of leadership on issues affecting low income communities and communities of color. In conversations about affordable housing, the impact of community on health, and the way decisions are made about public financing, we are called on to assist community, labor, and faith-based organizations, as well as leaders in the public and private sectors, in developing and implementing policies that enable everyone to participate and prosper. Our new staffing structure will allow us to use our strengths in organizing, coalition building, advocacy, research, and strategic planning to assume a stronger presence in local, state, and national arenas and to continue lifting up what works to showcase powerful and inspiring efforts in communities across the country."
The new titles were approved by the PolicyLink board of directors and include elevating Blackwell from president to founder and chief executive officer. "The new title for Angela," said Board Chair James Gibson "recognizes her enormous leadership in founding and guiding what is becoming one of the most important organizations fighting for economic justice in the country."
In promoting Judith Bell from executive vice president to president, the move also recognizes and honors, Gibson continued, "the unique leadership partnership of Blackwell and Bell that energizes the staff and the organizations with whom they work." Other promotions are Joe Brooks, to vice president for civic engagement, and Joan Catherine Braun, to chief financial and administrative officer.
"I am especially pleased," Blackwell noted, "that Judith Bell, who has served as PolicyLink executive vice president since our founding, will now assume the role of president. Judith is an extraordinary leader, and her unique skills and experiences as a policy advocate have been integral to the PolicyLink success story. She has been a policy strategist for advocacy campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels and is adept at coalition building and providing technical assistance on advocacy, policy, and communications."
Joe Brooks, formerly director of civic engagement and capacity building, said, "I welcome the opportunity to continue building partnerships across the country that can lead to policy impact and change." Blackwell refers to Brooks as "a coalition builder without peer who has also been a mentor to a generation of community building activists as a foundation executive, affordable housing administrator, and at PolicyLink." She added that "Joe recruited much of the staff during our early years and has led many staff development efforts."
Blackwell cited Joan Catherine Braun's "unique combination of financial expertise and program experience." She added that Braun, formerly director of finance and operations, "knows that the bottom line must always be about achieving programmatic results through responsible and accountable financial controls."
As she assumed her new position, Judith Bell said, "I am honored to be named president of PolicyLink and have been honored to be a part of the PolicyLink team since its beginning. Through our partnerships with organizations across the country, we are helping to bring to the public the research and strategies that are needed to fuel policy change and reach a more equitable society."
Bell added: "It is a pleasure that one of my first duties as president is to acknowledge the work of the entire PolicyLink staff and especially that of four senior associates. Raymond Colmenar, Kalima Rose, and Mildred Thompson," Bell said, "are being promoted to PolicyLink associate directors and will continue to lead key program areas and projects; Milly Hawk Daniel will continue to work with project teams and marketing efforts as associate director of communications."
"At PolicyLink," Blackwell concluded, "I am surrounded by a talented, diverse, and committed group of women and men with whom it is my pleasure to work daily. And that work is made all the more special because we know the value we add to the efforts of advocates and activists across the country. I'm so pleased that with this new staffing structure, we can do even more to help the nation realize democracy’s promise of inclusion and full participation for everyone."
PolicyLink is a national nonprofit research, communications, capacity building, and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing policies to achieve economic and social equity based on the wisdom, voice, and experience of local constituencies. PolicyLink bridges the traditional divides between communities and the world of policymakers by lifting up what works®.