Panasonic Foundation, Inc. Appoints New Executive Director

NEWARK, N.J., June 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Foundation, Inc. today announced the appointment of Alejandra O. Ceja as Executive Director. Ms. Ceja will assume the role beginning June 12^th, succeeding Dr. Larry Leverett, who retired after a decade of extraordinary leadership.

Most recently, Ms. Ceja has served as the Executive Director of White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics at the U. S. Department of Education. She has also served as a Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of Education and as Senior Budget and Appropriations Advisor for the House Committee on Education and Labor. In 2015, she was awarded the Marshall Memorial Fellowship from the German Marshall Fund to prepare leaders from the U. S. and Europe for transatlantic relations. In her new role, Ms. Ceja will report to the Board of Directors of the foundation, whose Chair is Dr. Milton Chen, Senior Fellow and Executive Director, Emeritus at The George Lucas Educational Foundation.

Ms. Ceja received her B. A. in political science from Mount St. Mary's University in Los Angeles and her M.P.A. in public administration from Baruch College, CUNY. She grew up in the Los Angeles area.

"On behalf of our board of directors, we are excited to welcome Alejandra to the Panasonic Foundation," said Dr. Chen. "She brings keen national leadership experience and a passion for educational equity to further advance the vision, mission and strategic direction of the Foundation."

Damien Atkins, Panasonic Corporation of North America's General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, said: "We're delighted to have Alejandra serve the Foundation as Executive Director. Her experience in advocating for educational opportunities aligns well with the goals of the Panasonic Foundation." Mr. Atkins also represents the Corporation as a member of the Foundation's Board of Directors.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Panasonic Foundation," said Ms. Ceja, who comes to the organization with over 15 years of experience in government and education advocacy. "I can think of no better place to continue the effort to advocate for the academic and social success of students in underserved communities."

About the Panasonic Foundation
Panasonic Foundation is an operating, not grant-making, non-profit foundation whose mission is to break the links between race, poverty, and educational outcomes by improving the academic and social success of all students.

It is currently working in long-term partnership with 11 school districts around the United States and with 17 superintendents participating in the New Jersey Network of Superintendents.

The Panasonic Foundation was created in 1984 by a $10 million endowment from Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, which has since been renamed Panasonic Corporation of North America. The Foundation's resource base was later strengthened with an additional endowment of $10 million from the company's parent corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial (now Panasonic Corporation). http://www.panasonicfoundation.net/

About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic was featured in Fortune Magazine's 2016 ranking of 50 companies that are changing the world and doing well by doing good. Specifically cited were its smart and sustainable technologies, including its contributions to smart cities and the electric vehicle revolution. Learn more about Panasonic at www.panasonicmovesus.com.  

SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America

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