Communities In Schools Welcomes New Board Member
Communities In Schools® (CIS™), the national organization that works inside schools and beyond the classroom, empowering all students to realize their full potential, welcomed Talitha Halley, also a CIS alum, to its National Board of Directors.
“We are delighted to welcome a talented and passionate individual to our National Board – and also someone who happens to be a devoted member of our CIS alumni family,” said CIS National Board Chairman Elaine Wynn. “I’ve known Talitha since she was a student and welcome her with open arms as a peer on the board. Her enduring commitment to our mission and advocacy for equity and inclusion in our education system makes her an important addition to our Board of Directors.”
“It is a unique pleasure for me to welcome a fellow alum to the National Board of Communities In Schools,” said CIS National President & CEO Rey Saldaña. “But more than that, our alumni are whole people who have a depth and breadth of personal and professional experience that are critical in guiding our strategic decisions. I applaud her selection to the board and look forward to partnering with her in our work to create educational equity for our students of color.”
Halley is currently an administrative manager for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and has served on the CIS Alumni Leadership Network since its inception.
“For the last 43 years Communities In Schools has been meeting the needs of students like me,” said Halley. “Time and time again CIS has proven to be a leader and innovator in education - dedicated to transforming communities, one student at a time. I have been a part of the organization for more than half of my life and would not be the person I am without it. It is a both an honor and a privilege to carry the voices of CIS students and Alumni with me in my role on the National Board.”
Halley added, “The opportunity to occupy this space ethnically and authentically is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. The mission to continue to support students in school and in life is both valuable and necessary for the progression of our society, and I am elated to carry the torch. As we find ourselves in an ever changing and evolving world, we must continue to do the gut-wrenching work to better the communities of our students. It is not enough to only call out the injustices in education but to go beyond the classroom to deconstruct and abolish the ones that follow them every single day. And if anyone is prepared for the work ahead, it is certainly Communities In Schools and I’m thrilled to be a part of the team.”
Halley is a graduate of Howard University and an alumna of Communities In Schools of Houston. Her experience with CIS began when her family moved to Houston after they were uprooted from their home in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
Read Talitha Halley’s full bio.
Access the full list of National Board of Directors.
