The New America Alliance and The Executive Leadership Council Launch Joint National Initiative to Address Closing the Education Achievement Gap

The New America Alliance (NAA) and The Executive Leadership Council, preeminent organizations of business leaders in the Latino and African-American communities, respectively, will be holding an historic summit in Santa Barbara, California on August 13-15, 2009, to launch a joint national education initiative. The initiative will focus on closing the education achievement gap facing both minority communities and defining the private sector's role in addressing it. To view the agenda, visit website.

"We believe this is the critical long-term issue facing not only our communities, but also the U.S. business sector," said Carlos Loumiet, NAA's Chair. "Latino and African-American business leaders are unique in their understanding and knowledge of both communities and the business sector. We can listen and speak to both groups, and hopefully engage and inspire others in this much needed national undertaking."

"Given the education gap for minority students and how this impacts the numbers of minorities prepared to enter the corporate pipeline, this is an issue of utmost importance to us," said Carl Brooks, The Executive Leadership Council's President and CEO. "We can improve the quality and increase the depth of the minority talent pool for years to come. Our communities' economic contributions to our country will grow exponentially as we address the education issue."

This invitation-only event will convene more than 100 thought leaders from the business, education, government, and non-profit sectors with a demonstrated interest in this issue to identify areas where business leaders are well positioned to have a significant impact on education. Confirmed summit participants include Gaurdie Banister, President & CEO, Aera Energy LLC; Steve Barr, Founder and Chairman, Green Dot Public Schools; Henry Cisneros, Executive Chairman, CityView; Linda Darling-Hammond, Chair, Obama Education Transition Team and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education, Stanford University; Ronald Ferguson, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in Education and Public Policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Kennedy School; Kris Gutierrez, President, American Educational Research Association; Greg Jones, Chair, California Business Roundtable and Member, California State Board of Education; Moctesuma Esparza, Chief Executive Officer, Maya Cinemas North America, Inc.; Laura Stanford, President, AT&T Foundation; Juan Sepulveda, Director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans; and Raul Yzaguirre, Professor of Practice, Arizona State University. To view an entire list of participants, visit website.

About the Executive Leadership Council

The Executive Leadership Council is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(6) corporation, founded in 1986 to provide African-American executives of major U.S. companies with a professional network and forum to offer perspective and direction on national and international business and public policy issues. It is the preeminent organization that recognizes the strengths, success, contributions, and impact of African-American corporate business leaders. Council members - more than 400 executives, one-third of them women -represent more than 280 Fortune 500 corporations.

About the New America Alliance

The New America Alliance is a national organization comprised of prominent Latino business leaders united to lead the process of American Latino economic empowerment and wealth-building through economic capital, leadership development, strategic philanthropy, and public policy advocacy. For more information about the New America Alliance, please visit website.