Meet Lauri Hennessey, our new CEO!
League of Education Voters Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Lauri Hennessey as our new CEO on Nov. 12, 2019.
Lauri brings 30 years of experience in community engagement, advocacy, strategic communications, and fundraising. Her work in education has included building grassroots and communications campaigns for groups ranging from the Bezos Family Foundation to the University of Washington. She managed statewide communications for a race for Superintendent of Public Instruction (for Judi Billings) and also served as Acting Development Director for the Community Schools Collaboration.
Lauri’s commitment to racial equity and social justice has fueled her extensive volunteer work in the region, including board service and volunteer engagement with Treehouse, Mary’s Place, Thrive Washington, Seattle Rotary, and Southwest Youth and Family Services, among others. Earlier in her volunteer life, she chaired several PTSA Auctions, served as a PTSA President, and was involved with the state PTSA Legislative Council.
As Vice President of Engagement at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo for the past three years (2016-2019), Lauri directed a staff of more than 20 with responsibility for communications, advocacy/public affairs, marketing, and community engagement, including the Zoo for All initiative that reduced barriers and increased participation among many underserved communities. She previously directed public affairs in the Northwest for Edelman (2012-2016), working with a diverse portfolio of political and public affairs clients.
Lauri is most proud of her three grown children. In her spare time, she sings with the Seattle Women’s Chorus and in musicals in her community of Vashon Island. Her husband was a longtime school board member on Vashon and they have long been active in island children’s causes.
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Laura Hitchcock comes to League of Education Voters as the Interim CEO from over 25 years in nonprofit and policy management. As a consultant, she has worked with Jan Glick & Associates to help strengthen organizational clients’ external, internal, and strategic focus, as well as provide strategic clarity to coalition and multi-organization initiatives, including facilitating the formation of the Early Learning Action Alliance.