Press Release: Leander, TX – June 9, 2014 – The Board of Directors for the Leander ISD Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF), the education foundation serving all of Leander ISD since 2006, is pleased to announce Dr. Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Ph.D. as its first Executive Director.
“In order for LEEF to mature as a non-profit foundation and expand its support of LISD, we needed to hire a fulltime executive director. Gloria’s experience, passion for education and commitment to every student in LISD, makes her the perfect choice for this position,” said Greg Bowden, LEEF’s board president.
Dr. Gonzales-Dholakia’s resume includes more than 20 years of experience in the education and nonprofit sectors. As an active volunteer in the LISD community, Gonzales-Dholakia has dedicated extensive time and energy to many organizations within LISD. Most notably, she served as LEEF’s VP of Marketing and Events for more than two years, in this role she was instrumental in helping the foundation reach its annual fundraising goals. Her passion and commitment for education includes a doctorate degree in the field of Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Texas at Austin.
In this new role, Dr. Gonzales-Dholakia will be responsible for the implementation of a comprehensive development program that will complement and enhance the educational opportunities provided to LISD students. “I am committed to LEEF’s mission and look forward to building on the strong foundation already established by our dedicated Board of Directors. It is my goal that LEEF’s work and contributions of funding innovative grants, getting books in the hands of children, and supporting LISD’s college and career-ready culture impact each child in the Leander Independent School District, ” said Gonzales-Dholakia.
“LEEF has not only come along side LISD to help improve opportunities for students, but they have also created a foundation that believes in the vision of growing young minds and ensuring that all students have every option. The addition of Dr. Gonzales-Dholakia is just the next step in seeing that vision fulfilled,” said Bret Champion, LISD Superintendent. “Her belief that every child has the potential to succeed feeds the energy that will grow LEEF and I look forward to their continued success.”
The Leander ISD Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing resources that support innovation, enrichment and equity in pursuit of academic excellence within the Leander Independent School District. LEEF supports its mission through three main program initiatives: Foundations for Learning focusing on early literacy, Enriching Great Teaching through innovative teaching grants and professional development, and College and Career Readiness to build a college and career-ready culture among all students. To learn more about LEEF visit: https://leeftx.org.