Washington, D.C. (August 20, 2024) —The NEA Foundation proudly announces the addition of two distinguished leaders to its executive team. Ebony English has been appointed Vice President for Programs, and Reginald Ballard will serve as Vice President for Policy and Communications. These strategic hires reflect the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to promoting educational justice, equity, excellence, and opportunity across its programs and initiatives.
Ebony English brings a wealth of experience to The NEA Foundation from her tenure as Senior Program Officer at the Penn Foundation, where she led grantmaking initiatives centered on child-serving systems and teacher preparation. With extensive experience in coaching educators, designing professional development, and teaching at the early childhood and middle school levels, English is exceptionally qualified to drive the Foundation’s programmatic strategies forward. She holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Professional Writing and Communications from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Education from Mercer University.
“I am honored to join The NEA Foundation at such a pivotal time,” said English. “I look forward to working closely with educators and the staff and Board of The Foundation, to advance innovative strategies that will support educators’ leadership and help to ensure that every child has access to a high quality public education.”
Reginald Ballard brings over 15 years of experience in education policy, community outreach, communications, and strategic planning to The Foundation. Most recently, he served as Chief of Staff for the Little Rock School District (in Little Rock, Arkansas), and played a pivotal role in advancing the district’s goals and objectives. Ballard’s deep understanding of public education and his commitment to empowering communities will be instrumental in furthering The Foundation’s policy and communications efforts. Reggie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a Master’s degree in Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service with a focus on Executive Leadership and Management, and a Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of Arkansas.
“As a former public school student, teacher, and administrator, I am deeply committed to The NEA Foundation’s mission of promoting the best in public education,” said Ballard. “I’m excited to work on behalf of all we serve to amplify the voices of educators, families, and communities, and ultimately drive meaningful positive change in our public education system.”
President and CEO of The NEA Foundation Sara A. Sneed expressed her enthusiasm for the new hires, stating, “We are incredibly fortunate to have found Ebony English and Reginald Ballard. Their diverse experiences and proven gifted leadership will be invaluable as we champion educational justice, equity and excellence. I have no doubt that they will have a profound positive impact on our programs and greatly benefit the communities we serve.”
The two new additions to The NEA Foundation’s leadership team come at a time of substantial growth for the Foundation, whose Community Schools Initiative was recently featured in a report by In the Public Interest. In the past year, the Foundation opened a Southern office, deepening its commitment to investing in communities in the South through community schools, awarded more educator grants than the year prior through its Grants to Educators program, and facilitated international educator collaboration through the Global Learning Fellowship. The addition of two new vice presidents signals that the Foundation is poised to continue to deepen its impact and drive positive change in public education.
To learn more about The NEA Foundation, visit www.neafoundation.org.
