P-16 Partnership Selects Executive Director
Stephanie Shaw to lead four-county education initiative
(April 22, 2010, Youngstown, Ohio) Following a comprehensive search, the Eastern Ohio P-16 Partnership for Education has selected Warren, Ohio native Stephanie Shaw as its first executive director. The Partnership, formed to foster better outcomes for students in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, chose Ms. Shaw from scores of applicants from around the country.
Joel Ratner, president of the Raymond J. Wean Foundation, a major funder of P-16, remarked that Ms. Shaw’s extensive management experience coupled with her knowledge of the initiative’s four-county region makes her the ideal choice. “Stephanie has grown up and worked in this area all her life. She knows many of the stakeholders and understands the challenges we face. This gives us a tremendous advantage from day one,” Ratner said.
Most recently Ms. Shaw served as health and wellness program manager at the YWCA Warren where she developed health and wellness as well as racial justice programming. While there she was also responsible for all public relations, marketing & social media. Prior to her role at YWCA Warren Stephanie spent 14 years at EMBARQ, working as the regional public affairs manager for 26 Ohio markets. She also served as the company’s regional business development manager for Ohio, Indiana and Western Pennsylvania.
Currently Stephanie serves on the Executive Board of the American Red Cross – Trumbull/Mercer Counties. She also serves on Youngstown State University’s Fine & Performing Arts Visitors Board, the Howland Community Scholarship committee, Kent State Trumbull’s Board of Trustees and she serves on the Forum Health board. She is a Warren Rotarian and a former Howland School Board member.
“The goal of the P-16 Partnership is to foster post-secondary success and career readiness for all students,” Ms. Shaw explained. “Initiatives such as this have been successful in other areas of the country and considering the level of cooperation I have witnessed so far, P-16 will work in our community as well.” The Howland resident lists specific goals as the implementation of music, art and foreign language in pre-school; increased college enrollment by students who are prepared day one and who can attend college at an affordable rate; successful co-ops that help students pay for their education and guarantee employment after graduation; and parent/educator-run programs that enhance the school learning environment.
P-16 is a comprehensive, integrated system of education that links preschool, elementary, middle, high school and postsecondary education. It focuses foremost on fulfilling students’ needs and connects separate educational sectors to form a coordinated pathway that facilitates student transitions and promotes post-secondary success. As a seamless, unified system, P-16 supports and links early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary institutions to ease transitions between them.
