MORE ABOUT EACH SPEAKER:

Dr. Howard Fuller, Founder & Director, Institute for the Transformation of Learning, at Marquette University and Co-Founder of the Black Alliance for Educational Options in Education
Dr. Fuller has dedicated his career to improving educational opportunities for low-income African-American children. He is nationally known for his work with programs that increase parents' choices for their children's education. He supports education options that transform learning for children, while empowering families, particularly low-income families, to choose the best options for their children. He believes parents without the power to make educational choices lack the tools for helping their children secure an effective education.

Ben Austin, Executive Director, Los Angeles Parents Union (LAPU) and A Parent Revolution Representative
Mr. Austin has dedicated much of his career to fighting for every child in California to get a great public education. Prior to joining the Parents Union, he directed the successful campaign to transform Locke High School from the worst high school in Los Angeles into a college preparatory model of reform. In 2006, Mr. Austin also created Parent Revolution—a coalition of organizations, led by the LAPU, fighting to transform schools in LA.  His work with the Parent’s Union is focused on the following belief: “For too long, everyone else had been in charge of their children’s schools: Politicians. Bureaucrats. Special interests. They had the power. Parents were told to do the bake sales. Now it’s the parents turn to take back the power over their children’s education.  Parents are the only ones who will always stand up for our children, no matter what.”   

Eva Moskowitz, Chief Executive Officer, Success Charter Network
Ms. Moskowitz is a former elected official and Chair of the New York City Council Education Committee, and a forceful advocate for education. Eva has been a history professor and civics teacher at Prep for Prep, a program for gifted minority students. She then started the Success Charter Network in 2006 with the Harlem Success Academy 1, added three more schools in the summer of 2008 with plans to expand to 40 over a decade. As part of these efforts, she helped create Harlem Parents United, a group that shows up en masse at public hearings to demand good schools for their children.