Education Sector Press Releases

For Immediate Release: July 6, 2010
Contact: Kristen J. Amundson, 202-552-2849 

Washington, D.C.— Education Sector's board of directors names three prominent leaders in the fields of education and journalism to the board: David W. Breneman, Richard Lee Colvin, and Peter McWalters.

David W. Breneman is the Newton & Rita Meyers Professor in Economics of Education at the University of Virginia. He served as dean of the Curry School of Education from 1995 to 2007 and as director of the public policy program at the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Breneman holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley, was a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, served as president of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, and was on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education before moving to the University of Virginia. Breneman also chairs the Measuring Up National Advisory Group.

Richard Lee Colvin is director of the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media. He joined the Institute in 2002 after many years writing about education for newspapers in California, including the Los Angeles Times, where he was the lead education writer. He became director of the Institute in May 2003. He previously worked for the Oakland Tribune, the Hayward Daily Review, and the Associated Press. Colvin has a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Michigan. He has been a media fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University and in 2000 won a Knight-Wallace fellowship for mid-career journalists at the University of Michigan.

Peter McWalters joined the Council of Chief State School Officers’ leadership team after having served as the Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education from 1992 to 2009. During his time as commissioner, McWalters made significant gains in creating a better state-led system of education and increasing success for all of Rhode Island’s students. A lifelong educator, McWalters began his career as a teacher of English as a Second Language in the Rochester, New York public schools. He holds a degree in history and philosophy from Boston College, a master’s degree of public administration and certificate of advanced studies in education administration from the State University of New York, Brockport, and he has previously served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines.

"David, Richard, and Peter bring a high level of expertise and a depth of experience to the Education Sector Board. We are delighted to welcome them as the organization continues to move forward," said Board Chair Margaret (Macke) Raymond.

Education Sector is an independent think tank that challenges conventional thinking in education policy. We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to achieving measurable impact in education, both by improving existing reform initiatives and by developing new, innovative solutions to our nation's most pressing education problems.

###