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Karen Denne, 310-954-5058, kdenne@broadfoundation.org
Bruce Reed Named President of The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 13, 2013—Bruce Reed, assistant to President Barack Obama and chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, was named president of The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the founders announced today.
As the foundation’s first president, Reed, 53, will oversee the activities and investments of The Broad Foundation’s work to improve America’s public schools. Founder Eli Broad will become chairman of the foundation.
“Edye and I are delighted that Bruce will join our team and provide the leadership to continue our philanthropic work well into the future,” said Broad. “His strategic insights, energy and passion for elevating education to a national priority make him an ideal partner in our work.”
“I have long been impressed by the visionary philanthropy of Eli and Edye Broad, and it is an honor to work with them to continue their legacy,” Reed said. “No one is more committed to improving our public schools, and their generosity is matched by their focus on making the world a better place.”
Reed first joined the Obama administration when he served as the executive director of the Bowles Simpson deficit reduction commission and lead author of its report, The Moment of Truth.
The son of a former Idaho state senator, Reed has a long record of public service. He was President Bill Clinton’s chief domestic policy advisor from 1996 to 2001, after serving four years as assistant to the president for domestic policy planning and as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy. Reed oversaw numerous issues in the Clinton administration, including the 1994 crime bill, the landmark 1996 welfare reform law, and the Clinton education agenda. He was deputy campaign manager for policy in the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign and previously was chief speechwriter for then Sen. Al Gore from 1985 to 1989. He also served as policy director and later president and CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council.
Reed and then-U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel co-authored The Plan: Big Ideas for Change in America, and he helped draft the bestselling book about President Clinton’s agenda, Putting People First. He was a longtime contributor to Slate and The New Republic. He has a bachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University and has a master’s of philosophy in English studies that he earned as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.
Reed and his wife Bonnie LePard, an environmental attorney and historic preservation expert, have two college-age children. Reed will join the foundation in mid-December. A photo of Reed is available for download.
Since 1999, The Broad Foundation has invested more than $580 million in improving America’s public schools. The Broad Foundation’s education work seeks to ensure that every student in an urban public school has the opportunity to succeed. Bringing together top education experts and practitioners, the foundation funds systemwide programs and policies that strengthen public schools by creating environments that allow good teachers to do great work and enable students of all backgrounds to learn and thrive. For more information, visit www.broadeducation.org.
The Broad Foundations, which include The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and The Broad Art Foundation, were established to advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts. They have assets of $2.6 billion. For more information, visit www.broadfoundation.org.
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