Dear Fund Community:
I want to share news with you about our incredible leader, Donna Frisby-Greenwood. Donna is leaving the Fund to accept a new position as Vice President of the Philadelphia Program for The Pew Charitable Trusts. This is an excellent opportunity, and we are very happy for Donna. It is bittersweet news, however – we are losing a great leader who has accomplished so much since she became President & CEO seven and a half years ago. Today, because of Donna’s leadership, we are a well-known and respected organization that has raised critical funds to support Philadelphia schools and its students.
As you know, Donna and her team have closely collaborated with the School District to identify and fund the highest priority needs for the schools. Most recently, Donna worked beside the members of the School Board to help with the process to select the new Superintendent, Dr. Watlington. Donna also was considered a critical partner to now former Superintendent Dr. Hite during his ten years at the District. Together, with their teams, they were instrumental in identifying and securing funds needed to supplement limited funding from the State. The partnership became even stronger throughout the pandemic when the District had to quickly pivot to teach students in their homes. So many corporations and individuals worked with Donna and her team to provide needed funds and supplies to make sure students in all parts of the city could have access to the internet and a computer. And the list of what the Fund accomplished during the pandemic goes on and on.
We will be recognizing all of Donna’s many contributions when we officially say goodbye, but today we want to make sure you know our board is working with Donna to help identify candidates to serve as the next CEO, and to work through the many things that should be done before she leaves us to go to Pew. Thankfully, we have a comfortable timeframe to prepare for this transition; Donna will be with us throughout September and will start her new job in early October. Her amazing team is also fully prepared to help us work through this change in leadership.
We will be back to you soon with more information soon, but for now, I would like to thank you, on behalf of the Board, for your continued support of the Fund and our work. We’ve made great strides over the last several years, and it is because of donors and partners like you.
Sincerely,
Ed Zimmermann
The Fund for the School District Board Chairman
CFO, Head of Strategy Comcast Business