Baltimore, Maryland, June 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- James (Jim) Quinn, education advocate and former Tiffany & Co. president, has been elected chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), the only national nonprofit exclusively focused on closing the opportunity and educational gaps in America by increasing access to high-quality summer learning opportunities. He succeeds Margaret McKenna, a civil rights attorney, leading expert on educational opportunity and former president of the Walmart Foundation as well as Lesley and Suffolk Universities.

In his role, Quinn will lead the implementation of NSLA’s new strategic plan and support the organization’s new CEO Aaron Philip Dworkin in fundraising, advocacy and community initiatives to expand and sustain summer learning, meal and job opportunities for our nation’s most vulnerable youth. “Jim is a humble public servant who understands intrinsically why summer is a sound investment for communities and a critical time for youth development," said Matthew Boulay, Ph.D., NSLA founder. "We are honored to have such a well-respected business leader and extraordinary individual lead NSLA’s vision to ensure every kid grows and thrives, every summer."

“I am honored and thrilled to work closely with Jim and our committed Board in serving more kids," said Dworkin. "Under Jim’s leadership, we will continue to unite partners from all sectors to support and elevate existing programs while expanding the number of summer learning experiences there are to benefit and meet the demand of students, families, schools and communities all across the United States.”

Research points to the life-changing impact a high-quality summer program can have in closing the opportunity and achievement gap between children. “Investing in Successful Summer Programs,” a newly released Wallace Foundation report of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), establishes that summer programs provide children with the mental, physical and emotional skills they need to succeed in life.

“All kids – regardless of their zip code – deserve quality summer enrichment opportunities that keep them safe, healthy and engaged during this magical time we call summer. Investing in summer learning lays a solid foundation for building our leaders of the future," said Quinn. "I am deeply committed to advancing NSLA’s mission as chairman, and I believe summer learning is the best return on investment for communities across the country.

"In 2012, Quinn retired as president of Tiffany & Co. where he was principally responsible for Tiffany’s global expansion over two decades. During his time at Tiffany, the company grew from a small, privately held retailer with sales of $200 million and seven stores, all in the U.S., to a global enterprise, doing business in more than 50 countries with sales in excess of $4 billion. A native New Yorker, Quinn is a graduate of Hofstra University where he played football and received a bachelor’s degree in communications. He served for many years as a trustee and vice chairman of the board of Hofstra. He also has an MBA from Pace University.

An active participant in business, civic and charitable organizations, he has held roles as director of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Mutual of America Capital Management, BNY Hamilton Funds and Prudential Financial. He also was a long-serving trustee and vice chairman of the Museum of the City of New York. Since retiring from Tiffany, Quinn has devoted more time and effort to philanthropy. He is the president of Flax Trust America and is a former chairman of the North American Advisory Board for the University College Dublin (UCD) Smurfit School of Business. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from UCD in 2008. Quinn is also a member of the board of the Irish Arts Center in New York.

Supporting Quinn will be newly elected NSLA Board Vice Chair, Reggie Love, Partner with Transatlantic Holdings and former aide to President Obama, and Ms. Lacrecia Cade, Attorney for Aflac Inc. has been elected to serve as Treasurer.

About the National Summer Learning Association

The National Summer Learning Association is the only national nonprofit exclusively focused on closing the achievement gap by increasing access to high-quality summer learning opportunities. NSLA recognizes and disseminates what works, offers expertise and support for programs and communities, and advocates for summer learning as a solution for equity and excellence in education. NSLA’s work is driven by the belief that all children and youth deserve high-quality summer learning experiences that will help them succeed in college, career, and life. For more information, visit www.summerlearning.org