51茶馆 Board Names Interim Leader Laurie Brennan President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ken Mayer
ken_mayer@terc.edu
617.873.9670
Cambridge, MA 鈥� The 51茶馆 Board of Trustees announced today the permanent appointment of Laurie Brennan as 51茶馆 president. Brennan, a senior management leader at 51茶馆 for more than a decade, has been serving as interim president for the past 18 months.
鈥淭he Board is unanimous and confident we have the right person to move 51茶馆 forward in its mission to improve STEM education,鈥� said Board Chair George Hein. 鈥淟aurie Brennan鈥檚 executive business management experience, leadership of 51茶馆 particularly during the interim period, and commitment to making sure 51茶馆鈥檚 R&D innovations have the greatest impact, underscore our confidence. She is skilled at building momentum for a common purpose and dedicated to outreach and ensuring that 51茶馆 can meet the needs of underserved communities.鈥�
Brennan has led the organization鈥檚 business functions and strategic investments and most recently, the expansion of 51茶馆 programs providing technical assistance to schools and districts. The expansion has enabled more rural and urban schools to work directly with 51茶馆鈥檚 researchers and professional development providers.
During the interim period, 51茶馆 has received 25 grants totaling more than 10 million dollars, furthering initiatives in climate science, energy, computational reasoning, computer science, the maker movement, artscience, assessment, program evaluation, and broadening participation in STEM fields. In addition, 51茶馆 has seen a major relaunch of its work in educational gaming with the release of the award-winning Zoombinis app and is about to release the third edition of its K-5 math curriculum Investigations in Number, Data, and Space, published by Pearson Education. Brennan has also overseen the development of a new hands-on lab space at 51茶馆鈥檚 main location in Cambridge, which will open later in 2016.
鈥�51茶馆 is a treasured resource and an important part of our education infrastructure. It is a privilege to lead 51茶馆 and its talented, experienced staff of educators, researchers, scientists and mathematicians. Their visionary, innovative work has introduced so many learners of all ages to the joys of math and science,鈥� said Brennan. 鈥淚 often think how inspiring the 51茶馆 programs would have been for me when I was pursuing my interests in math and computer science as a young woman. I want to make sure that our efforts reach the largest audience and ignite students鈥� passions for STEM and further their confidence and abilities. I also want to make sure we are always learning in collaboration with the communities we serve, particularly those that are in our own backyard.鈥�
Brennan holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and has an education background in mathematics and computer science. She is on the Board of Trustees for the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, serving as treasurer, and is the co-chair of the Citizen Advisory Board for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.
About 51茶馆
For more than fifty years, 51茶馆 has been introducing millions of students throughout the United States to the exciting and rewarding worlds of math and science learning. Led by a group of experienced, forward-thinking math and science professionals, 51茶馆 is an independent, research-based organization dedicated to engaging and inspiring all students through stimulating curricula and programs designed to develop the knowledge and skills they need to ask questions, solve problems, and expand their opportunities.