Study.com's Lisa Gauthier Honored as a Top Woman of Influence in Silicon Valley

Former East Palo Alto Mayor Makes Massive Impact for Communities, Education and Governments

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May 12, 2020, 08:00 ET

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Study.com, a leading online education platform, announced Lisa Gauthier, Government Affairs Manager with Study.com and Councilmember for the city of East Palo Alto, Calif., was named to Silicon Valley Business Journal's 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence. Gauthier was the mayor of East Palo Alto in 2014 and 2019 and graduated with a bachelor's degree from Study.com's Working Scholars program. Proof that achievement is possible at every phase of education, students look to Gauthier as an inspiration for following their dreams and unlocking a world of opportunities.

"It's an understatement to say that 2020 is an incredibly challenging time in Silicon Valley. What's not an understatement is the recognition that this region has an abundance of intelligent, ambitious, strategic, creative and compassionate women in business who are poised to help lead the valley through these uncertain times," said J. Jennings Moss, the Business Journal's editor in chief and general manager.

Lisa's inﬂuence bleeds into the East Palo Alto community from her longstanding positions in the city and she's fully focused on making education accessible for the entire United States with her position at Study.com. Speaking at the ﬁrst graduation ceremony of the groundbreaking Working Scholars program, which gives participants the opportunity to earn a debt-free college degree, Gauthier tells an uplifting story that speaks to how education is changing.

"First of all, I'm completely honored that my story is helping lives of others. My path has given me the platform to positively impact my community and further close the education gap. Working Scholars gave me an avenue to get a bachelor's degree when it seemed like that door was closed. I want to share my education journey to help inspire others," Gauthier said. "There are so many needs for underserved communities around the nation, but especially in our backyard that I will continue to fight for as a city official and as a member of Study.com."

During her time in office, Lisa traveled to China twice to represent her community on the international stage. Lisa and the city's collaboration with Project We Hope created a ﬁrst-of-its-kind program for people living in recreational vehicles. The city allotted $117,000 to open its Tanklage property for an overnight "safe parking" program, which created a space for homeless residents living in RVs to stay overnight and receive services including counseling, food and transitional housing. East Palo Alto was the ﬁrst city to enact the program in the region, with others looking to create similar models. She was also responsible for bringing President Barack Obama's, "My Brother's Keeper Initiative" to the community.

For more information about Working Scholars, please visit: https://www.workingscholars.org/.

About Study.com
Study.com is a leading online education platform helping learners of all ages excel academically and close skills gaps. Study.com's online courses, short animated video lessons, and study tools make learning simple for over 30 million students, teachers, and working professionals. Study.com was founded in 2002 and is a privately held company located in Mountain View, Calif. Learn more at http://www.study.com or download the mobile app from the iOS app store or Google Play.

SOURCE Study.com