1. Press release written for PhiladelphiaBarAssociationevent: EducationSummit,Oct. 9, 2014
Education Summit Oct. 9 with School Chief Hite
Local education leaders and stakeholders will share their thoughts and ideas about
Philadelphia's public education crisis when the 13,000-member Philadelphia Bar
Association convenes its first-ever Education Summiton Thursday,Oct. 9 at 12 p.m. at
the Association's headquarters in the Aramark Tower, 1101 Market Street, in the 11th
floor Conference Center.
At the Education Summit,moderated byPhiladelphia Bar Association Chancellor William
P. Fedullo,School Districtof Philadelphia SuperintendentDr.William R.Hite will present
a "State of the School District"address to update attendees on the district's currentfiscal situation and strategies.The
summitwill also be an opportunity for representatives oflaw firms participating in the Association's SupportOur
Schools Campaign to reflecton their experiences.
"I am pleased we are able to welcome Dr.Hite and our other distinguished guests to our firstEducation Summitto
advance a constructive dialog surrounding this crisis and promote the objectives of the SupportOur Schools
campaign,"said Chancellor Fedullo."The Education Summitallows us to discuss existing ideas and process new
ones from this meeting ofminds."
Among the leaders and stakeholders in education expected to attend the Summitare:Gaetan Alfano, Vice
Chancellor ofthe Philadelphia Bar Association;Laurie Backall,Managing Director of DevelopmentofPhiladelphia
City Year; Benjamin R.Barnett, Esq., Partner at DechertLLP; Albert G. Bixler, Esq.,Member-in-Charge ofthe
Philadelphia Office of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot, LLC; The Honorable Genece E.Brinkley, Chair of the Bar
Association's Advancing Civics Education Committee;Rhonda Brownstein,Executive Director of the Education Law
Center; Karen C. Buck, Esq.,Co-Chair of the Bar Association's Deliveryof Legal Services Committee;Thomas J.
Cole,Jr., Esq., Managing Partner of Pepper Hamilton LLP;Patricia Cruice, Principal atthe James Dobson School;
Albert S. Dandridge,III, Chancellor-Electofthe Philadelphia Bar Association;Michael A. Davis, Esq., ChiefCounsel
of the School Districtof Philadelphia;Virginia G. Essandoh,Esq.,ChiefDiversity Officer at Ballard Spahr LLP;
Deborah R. Gross,Presidentofthe Philadelphia Bar Foundation;Helen Gym,Co-Founder of Parents United for
Public Education;Jeffrey M. Lindy, Esq.,Co-Chair of the Bar Association's Education Task Force;Michael Masch, VP
and CFO of the Manhattan College,and former CFO of the School Districtof Philadelphia;VincentR. McGuinness,
Jr., Esq., Managing Partner at Cozen O'Connor; Zane David Memeger, United States Attorney; Dennis M. O'Brien,
Philadelphia CityCouncilman;Ric Ramsey,Vice Presidentand Executive Director of Philadelphia CityYear; Mary
Gay Scanlon,Esq., Pro Bono Counsel atBallard Spahr LLP; Joseph A. Sullivan, Esq.,Director of Pro Bono
Programs atPepper Hamilton LLP,and Co-Chair of the Bar Association's Deliveryof Legal Services Committee;
Nycole Watson,Esq., Vice Chair of the Bar Association's Advancing Civics Education Committee;Roberta West,
Director of the Legal Education and Participation Program atTemple University;and the Honorable John Milto n
Younge, Co-Chair of the Bar Association's Education Task Force.
The Philadelphia Bar Association,founded in 1802,is the oldestassociation oflawyers in the United States.The
mission ofthe Association is to serve the profession and the public by prom oting justice,professional excellence and
respectfor the rule of law.In so doing,the Association strives to foster understanding of,involvementin and access
to the justice system.