About Us
In the spring of 2022, Democrats for Education Reform and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute launched the Building Bridges Initiative, which convened a group of education advocates from the Left, Right, and Center to discuss American education in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Over the course of twelve months and six in-person convenings, we shared, debated, disagreed, and ultimately found common ground—resulting in A Generation at Risk: A Call to Action.
Participants of the Building Bridges Initiative
Note: Titles and affiliations are provided for identification purposes only.
- Jen Alexander, Executive Director, PIE Network
- Amanda Aragon, Founding Executive Director, NewMexicoKidsCAN
- Charles Barone, Vice President for K-12 Policy, Democrats for Education Reform/Education Reform Now
- Derrell Bradford, President, 50CAN: The 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now
- Sharif El-Mekki, Founder and CEO, Center for Black Educator Development
- Robin Lake, Director, Center on Reinventing Public Education, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at ASU
- Maya Martin Cadogan, Executive Director, Parents Amplifying Voices in Education
- Frances Messano, President and CEO, NewSchools Venture Fund
- Cheryl Oldham, SVP, U.S. Chamber Foundation, VP, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Michael Petrilli, President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
- Gene Pinkard, Director of K-12 Leadership, Aspen Institute Education & Society Program
- Luke Ragland, SVP for Grants, Daniels Fund
- Keri Rodrigues, President, The National Parents Union
- Naomi Shelton, CEO, National Charter Collaborative
- Evan Stone, CEO, Educators for Excellence
- Tim Taylor, Cofounder & President, America Succeeds
- Joanne Weiss, President, Weiss Associates
The Building Bridges Initiative 