Generation Citizen Announces New Board Leadership

NEW YORK — Leaders from the education, business, and philanthropy communities are bringing their expertise to Generation Citizen’s Board of Directors following the election of new members and leadership in December. 

The Board elected Jane Lo, an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at Michigan State University, to serve as Chair. Lo specializes in the political engagement of youth and how social studies curriculum influences them, and is passionate about expanding equitable civic education for all young people. Prior to becoming a teacher educator, she taught government, economics and Chinese in Austin, Texas.

“At a critical time for democracy and civic engagement in our country, Generation Citizen is building an education movement that intentionally centers young people and their communities,” said Jane Lo, Chair of Generation Citizen’s Board of Directors. “I’m honored to continue working with Generation Citizen’s staff and Board to reach more students, advocate for equitable education policy, and forge a more inclusive democracy.”

Serving alongside Lo will be newly elected Vice Chair Matt Segneri, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Executive Director of the Harvard Innovation Labs. Director of the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative (SEI). Segneri has also served as a senior leader on the Government Innovation team at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where he led initiatives to promote public sector innovation and spread ideas among cities. 

“Our communities are more equitable, more vibrant, and more innovative when young people have the skills and resources to exercise their civic power,” said Matt Segneri, Vice Chair of Generation Citizen’s Board of Directors. “Generation Citizen is at the forefront of this intergenerational, to create a more engaged democracy, effort, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to lead systemic, sustainable change in 2023 and beyond.” 

In addition to new leadership, the Board welcomed a new member, Jamie Van Leeuwen. Van Leeuwen currently serves as the Emerson Collective’s Director of Youth & Community Engagement and is focused on building and leveraging relationships across sectors that impact social justice issues specific to education, conservation, immigration, health care, and youth development. 

He is also the CEO and Founder of the Global Livingston Institute (GLI), a non-governmental organization in East Africa designed to engage students and community leaders to “Listen. Think. Act.” by developing innovative solutions to poverty. 

“Education is crucial to ensuring our nation’s young people are equipped to build a stronger democracy and a better future,” said Generation Citizen Board Member Jamie Van Leeuwen. “I’m excited to contribute to GC’s forward-looking, community-centered approach to systemic change.”

“Jane, Matt, and Jamie embody the values and vision that set GC apart as a leader in the civics and democracy space,” said Generation Citizen CEO Elizabeth Clay Roy. “We are deeply grateful to have such diverse, passionate voices on our Board of Directors as we enter a new year of growth, learning, and opportunity.”

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ABOUT GENERATION CITIZEN

Generation Citizen (GC) works to ensure that every student in the United States receives an effective action civics education, which provides them with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in our democracy as active citizens. For more information visit www.generationcitizen.org