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LPFI increases fairness in higher education and the workplace by removing barriers to full participation. In this issueDonate |
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Join us May 5th at the Welcome Reception for Robert Schwartz, LPFI Exec DirectorLPFI is thrilled to announce the selection of Robert Schwartz as our new Executive Director! Robert is a seasoned educator and leader who brings with him dedication and experience creating solutions to mitigate education inequity. He will lead LPFI to increase the breadth and depth of its impact. Please join LPFI Board, staff, and students in welcoming Robert at a reception on Wednesday, May 5th, 5:30-7:30 pm at LPFI, 543 Howard St, 5th Floor, San Francisco. RSVP to jenelle@lpfi.org by April 28. Questions 415.946.3062. In announcing the selection, LPFI Founder and Board Member, Freada Kapor Klein stated: “Robert is exactly what LPFI needs at this moment in time. He is a passionate, experienced leader who can help execute LPFI's goal of dramatically increasing the number of underrepresented students of color pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) studies. We chose Robert - after a national search that yielded nearly 100 stellar candidates - because of his unwavering commitment to helping students achieve academic success and develop their enormous potential.” Robert spent the last three years as Chief Academic Officer for Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Public Schools in South Los Angeles. Prior to serving as ICEF’s CAO, Robert was the founding principal at ICEF’s flagship high school. Robert began at ICEF as a middle school science teacher where he was twice named teacher of the year and lead teacher in his second year. Prior to that, he was a Teach for America corps member where he spent seven years at his initial placement site in East Los Angeles, becoming science department chairperson after his second year. Robert graduated cum laude from Binghamton University with a double major in Biology and Classical Languages, and he earned his MA in Urban Education Policy Planning and Administration and Ed.D. in Urban Educational Leadership at the Rossier School of Education at University of Southern California. His dissertation looked at inequity for students of color and their lack of access to 21st century skills in the classroom, and was nominated for 2010 dissertation of the year. In 2009, Robert was named to the African American Achievement Commission by the California State Board of Education. He is married and has four year old twins. Robert will start full time at LPFI on June 1, 2010. You can reach him at Robert@LPFI.org or 415-946-3030. 
STEM College Tour a SMASHing Success!LPFI took twelve of its Summer Math and Science Honors Academy (SMASH) students on a STEM-focused (science, math, technology and engineering ) Southern California college tour last week. They visited UC Irvine, University of Redlands, Harvey Mudd, Cal Tech, UCLA and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The scholars’ dedication and academic achievement paid off as all the campuses visited opened their doors and welcomed them by giving them private tours and dedicated time with admissions officials. Among the tour’s highlights was having our students told by UC Irvine Vice Chancellor Manuel Gomez :“As first-generation, university-bound students of color who are interested in STEM, you are as precious as gold. You belong here.” SMASH Scholar Megan Gage blogged on SMASH’s Communication and Social Technology student-run site www.smashcast.org about the tour: “The most exciting part: everything …was planned for the utmost relevancy to our lives. We [are] looking at schools with a special interest in STEM related fields. We have events planned with people of color (just like us) who work in these fields of interest as well!” 
Workplace Fairness staff presenting in New OrleansLPFI’s Workplace Fairness Program staff is presenting two workshops entitled “An Exploration of Hidden Bias in the Workplace and How Managing It Can Reduce Conflicts” at the International Ombudsman Association Annual Conference on April 8 in New Orleans. LPFI experts will introduce the science behind hidden bias, present interactive exercises and studies, and debut one of its new Second Life animated videos as a case study. They will display several workplace-related scenarios in which subtle bias and conflict may arise, and ombuds and managers will be asked to examine what constitutes hidden bias versus hypersensitivity. LPFI experts will help ombuds staff understand hidden bias and address disputes that arise in organizations.
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