CISA KELLER NAMED NEW CEO AT THINK SMALL
Respected Early 蝌蚪视频hood Leader and Expert Chosen to Succeed Retiring CEO Barb Yates
St. Paul, MN 鈥 Today, the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization 蝌蚪视频 announced that Cisa Keller has been chosen to be its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Barb Yates, who is retiring after serving 16 years in that position.
鈥淭he Board of Directors is thrilled that we will be benefiting from Cisa鈥檚 energy and expertise at the helm of 蝌蚪视频,鈥 said Tracy Nordstrom, Chair of the 蝌蚪视频 Board of Directors. 鈥淲e are on a roll with solid funding this past year, significant wins at the Legislature, and growing awareness by the public that quality in early learning matters. Cisa is the right person to keep the momentum going, and there is a great deal of important work to do.鈥
Starting in the classroom as an early educator, Keller has served for over 25 years as an expert and leader in the early childhood policy field. She has most recently served as Senior Vice President of Early 蝌蚪视频hood Programs, where she oversaw 蝌蚪视频鈥檚 government contracts and policy and advocacy initiatives.
Among other leadership positions, Keller also served as Director for Government and Community Relations for New Horizon Academy, Government Relations Chair of the Minnesota 蝌蚪视频 Care Association, an adjunct professor in the early childhood education field at Concordia University in St. Paul, and a member of several interdisciplinary statewide workgroups and coalitions advocating for reform of Minnesota鈥檚 early childhood education system. More information about Keller, as well as a photo, is available at 蝌蚪视频 leadership team.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more excited about the opportunity to guide this innovative organization to better serve our littlest learners, who are so key to Minnesota鈥檚 future,鈥 said Keller. 鈥滘蝌绞悠 and our partners have a lot of work to do to better prepare our most vulnerable children for school and all that follows, but we鈥檙e up for the challenge.鈥
Yates has served as 蝌蚪视频鈥檚 President and CEO since 2008. She is renowned as a statewide and national leader in the early childhood education field. She announced in late 2023 that she was retiring. A photo of Yates and additional background about her storied career as an education reformer is available at 蝌蚪视频 leadership team.
鈥淲e are closing a powerful chapter on Barb Yates鈥 amazing leadership and successes at 蝌蚪视频,鈥 said Nordstrom. 鈥淲e look forward to Cisa taking the organization and early learning to the next level of influence and innovation in Minnesota, and beyond.鈥
蝌蚪视频 is a Minnesota-based non-profit organization focused on ensuring that every child is ready for kindergarten. More background is available at .
