Joanne Weiss, Former Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Education, Joins LearnZillion's Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Joanne Weiss, who most recently served as Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Education from 2009-2012, has joined the board of digital curriculum and professional development start-up LearnZillion.

Prior to her role as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Education, Weiss led the Department's $4.35B Race to the Top program. She joined the Department from NewSchools Venture Fund, where she was Partner and Chief Operating Officer at the venture philanthropy firm working to transform public education by supporting education entrepreneurs and connecting their work to systemic change. Joanne replaces Maura Marino, Managing Director of NewSchools' DC Schools Fund, on LearnZillion's board.

"I am deeply passionate about increasing the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes," said Ms. Weiss. "There is a deep need to celebrate and support teachers in order for the United States to meet the needs of its students. Eric and the team at LearnZillion are uniquely focused on effectively meeting teachers' needs, and represent the very best of both ed-tech and implementation of the Common Core State Standards."

"We are so very fortunate to have Joanne as a member of our board," said Eric Westendorf, CEO of LearnZillion. "As a former ed-tech CEO, a respected leader in the educational investing space, and a counselor to the U.S. Secretary of Education, she is uniquely able to help guide our growth in the years ahead."

About LearnZillion

Founded in 2011, LearnZillion champions teachers and helps schools and districts develop a culture of instructional excellence. Their purpose-built video lessons are crafted by a "Dream Team" of expert teachers to provide clear, visual, grade-level appropriate explanations of the Common Core State Standards across grades 2-12. Over 330,000 teachers currently use this platform. LearnZillion Premium augments the efficacy of these videos with a digital curriculum and PD platform that develops teachers' skills while simultaneously preparing students for the next generation assessments. Current customers include DCPS, Syracuse City Public Schools, the Delaware Department of Education, the Connecticut State Department of Education and various school consortia throughout the US. LearnZillion was recently named #5 on Fast Company's "World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Education".

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SOURCE LearnZillion