PENCIL is a New York City-based non-profit. New York City schools are filled with students who have potential and ambition to go far and we envision a city filled with students whose opportunities match their ambitions. Since 1995, we’ve played a critical role in bringing together business professionals, educators and students to open eyes, open minds, and open doors. By doing so, we connect students to success.
Connecting Students to Success
In 1995, PENCIL was founded with the goal of raising awareness about public education by inviting civic and business leaders into New York City public schools. From those early days to our work today implementing hands-on, immersive programs that open eyes, open minds, and open doors, PENCIL realizes its mission “to connect students to success.” PENCIL makes it easy for business professionals, educators, and students to work together—in schools and the workplace. Our programs, including in-school partnerships, mentoring, internships, and immersive experiences like Principal For A Day, create targeted opportunities to make a real difference in the classroom and beyond. As an organization, we strive to provide students with access to the relationships, skills, and opportunities that support their success.
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Theory of Change
PENCIL brings together business partners and educators to develop strategies that disrupt current college and career readiness outcomes. Through relationship management, curriculum resources, volunteer engagement, program facilitation, evaluation, and refinement, PENCIL makes it easy for businesses to work with schools to connect students to success. Click to see PENCIL’s Theory of Change.
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Learn More about our Impact
Over the last 25 years, PENCIL has connected more than 33,000 students to success by building partnerships that bring together business professionals and students across New York City. Through increasing access to internships, mentorships, and school partnership programs, PENCIL has opened eyes, minds and doors for public school students in NYC.
In the second year of PENCIL’s strategic growth plan, during the 2019-20 school year and summer, over 1,892 volunteers from 142 businesses served 4,121 students. See PENCIL’s Impact Report for School Year 2019-2020
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Strategic Plan
Over the next five years, PENCIL will help connect at least 50,000 students to success by bringing together business professionals, educators, and students to open eyes, open minds, and open doors. Click to see the PENCIL Strategic Plan.
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50,000 Futures Campaign
The 50,000 Futures Campaign will increase PENCIL’s impact by over 300% by raising $1 million: the working capital that PENCIL needs to invest in our programs, develop new ways to reach students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and build our infrastructure to serve more students. This campaign will fund our efforts to serve 50,000 students by 2023. Click to see PENCIL’s 50,000 Futures Campaign
Our supporters
Behind every success story, there’s a community of supporters who help along the way.
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Board of Directors
Representing a broad range of experience and professional backgrounds, PENCIL’s passionate Board of Directors is committed to supporting PENCIL and improving public education in New York City and beyond.
- Christopher B. Hayward Board Chair President and Partner GoldenTree Asset Management, LP
- Gerd Alexander Partner Paul Hastings LLP
- E. Scott Beattie Vice Chairman and Director REVLON
- Chancellor Richard A. Carranza [Ex Officio] Chancellor New York City Department of Education
- Howard Chatzinoff Chair EmeritusPartner Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
- Susan Cosgrove Board Vice Chair Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer DTCC
- Nicole Degnan Global Head of Fiduciary & Conflicts Management JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- John Fosina Chief Financial Officer York Capital Management
- Linda Gadsby, Esq. General Counsel National Board of Medical Examiners
- Sócrates Jiménez Strategic Advisor Hamilton Partners
- Debbie Kenyon Vice Chairman and Senior Partner L+M Development Partners
- Joanna Lambert General Manager Verizon Media
- Lew Leone Vice President & General Manager FOX5/My9
- Cindy Ma, Ph.D., CFA Houlihan Lokey
- Michael Maslansky CEO, maslansky + partners
- Gloria McCarthy Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Anthem, Inc.
- Abbe Raven Acting Chairman A+E Networks
- Mitch Roschelle Managing Partner Macro Trends Advisors LLC
- Stuart Ruderfer Co-CEO Civic Entertainment Group
- Jason E. Silvers M.D., Partner Goldman Sachs
- Shael Polakow-Suransky President Bank Street College of Education
- Bernard Tubiana Principal, Managing Director – New York Consulting Deloitte Consulting
- Lewis Warren, Jr. Board Vice Chair Managing Director, National Industry Executive, Commercial Banking JPMorgan Chase & Co.
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Executive Leadership Council
PENCIL’s Executive Leadership Council is composed of emerging business leaders who bring together the next generation of PENCIL supporters to connect students to success.
- Nicole Wallace Ardiet [Co-Chair], LinkedIn
- Cassandra Merolla [Co-Chair], LinkedIn
- Megan Briskman, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
- Heather Cannady, Amazon
- Brian DiMarino, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Nicole Gallagher, Deloitte
- Erik Forbes Johnson, Corporate Spending Innovations
- Asher Kennedy, Morgan Stanley
- Jason Mead, MobileIron
- Jessica Roy, KKR & Co. Inc.
- Eric Tompkins, Frasca & Associates, LLC
- Jessica Yang, DTCC
To learn more or get involved with the ELC, please contact Christine Gorman or call 212.524.2384.
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Board Alumni
There is a long list of illustrious New Yorkers who have helped direct PENCIL over our 25-year history. Meet our Board of Directors alumni:
- Lisa Belzberg (Founder)*
- Dave Barger*
- Arthur H. Barnes
- Maria Bartiromo
- Charles R. Bendit
- John E. Benevento
- Frank J. Bisignano
- Matthew C. Blank
- Sharon Y. Bowen
- David R. Caplan
- Beverly C. Chell
- Michael Christenson
- Ken Clinchy
- Jerry Colonna
- Rudy Crew
- Maurice DuBois
- Adam Elster
- Robert Evanson
- Michael Fuchs
- Patsy Glazer
- Sally Hernandez-Pinero
- Matthew Higgins
- Sherry Jacobs
- Steven Jacobs
- Jeremy Johnson
- Norma Kamali
- Augusta S. Kappner
- Mark Kimsey
- Joel I. Klein (Ex Officio)
- Leanna Landsmann
- Sandra E. Lerner
- Harold Levy
- Mary McCormick
- William E. McCracken
- Stephen J. Meringoff
- Elba Montalvo
- Perri Peltz-Ruttenberg
- Karen Proctor
- Antonio Reid
- Galen Robbins
- Rossana Rosado
- Joe Scantlebury
- Jessica Seinfeld
- Matt Serletic
- Adam Silver
- Jack Stephenson
- Dennis Swanson
- Andrew Tisch
- Jane Pauley Trudeau
- Jeanette Sarkisian Wagner
- Elliott Wahle
- Michael Wolf
- Deborah C. Wright
- Strauss Zelnick
* Former Board Chair
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Past Presidents
Past Presidents and interim Executive Directors of PENCIL over its 25 years include:
David Weiner (2014 – 2016)
Richard Burns (Interim, 2014)
Michael Haberman (2007 – 2014)
Carol Kellermann (Interim, 2006 – 2007)
Janet Corcoran (2005 – 2006)
Jerry Colonna (Interim, 2004)
Ruth Cohen (1998 – 2004)