June 20, 2012
Contact: Cindy Nixon
P: 703-518-2565
nixonc@cisnet.org

Lansing, MI – Communities In Schools, the leading organization dedicated to empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life, is proud to announce the appointment of Jeff Brown as executive director for the new Michigan state office.
 
“Our children need and deserve our best efforts to help them reach their full potential. I am excited to work with business, nonprofit, faith-based and government leaders to address the enormous needs in our state by supporting and expanding the proven Communities In Schools model,” said Brown.
 
Prior to joining Communities In Schools, Brown was the executive director of the Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative, where he built coalitions of organizations to focus on poverty reduction strategies throughout the state of Michigan. He has also served as director of the Sherman Lake YMCA Health and Wellness Center and director of Housing and Student Activities at Grand Valley State University. He was a small business owner for 22 years. Brown was a founding member of the Gull Lake Performing Arts Foundation and served on the Freedom Schools Board. He has served since 2001 as a school board member for Gull Lake Community Schools, and has also been a trustee for the Hope Full Community Center in Richland, vice chair of the Kalamazoo Literacy Network, and co-chair of the National League of Cities Peer Poverty Reduction Network.

"Jeff has proven himself as a leader throughout the state of Michigan. We’re fortunate to benefit from the experience he will bring to our developing state office there,” said Communities In Schools President Daniel Cardinali.

Brown was hired by the Communities In Schools of Michigan board of directors. He will initially work with six Communities In Schools affiliates throughout Michigan.