By Margaret Hodson ’16, News Editor
Starting on the first of June, Ms. Allie Hawkins, Upper School History teacher, will be taking over as Executive Director of Breakthrough Cincinnati. The position recently became open with Ms. Blair Lanier’s decision to pursue a dual degree at Duke University. Ms. Lanier will be entering into a three year program to obtain degrees from both the Fuqua School of Business and the Sanford School of Public Policy. After graduating, Ms. Lanier hopes to segway into the corporate sector. She is specifically interested in corporate responsibility and the way the public and private sector can partner to improve communities.
Ms. Lanier first became involved with Breakthrough at the age of seventeen when she worked as an intern/ teacher during the summer session. She accepted an administrative position in 2011, and was named Executive Director in 2012. Important aspects of the position include raising money, development, overseeing the program, and meeting with board members and volunteers. Although Ms. Hawkins is officially the Executive Director starting on June 1st, Ms. Lanier will remain in Cincinnati through the summer to assist with the transition.
Ms. Lanier believes Ms. Hawkins to be fully qualified for the position, and is optimistic about the future of the program under her leadership. Ms. Lanier noted, “Ms. Hawkins also brings some pretty key both knowledge and expertise about what it’s like to do effective urban education… she knows a lot about education, but she is also bringing development experience because she worked for a nonprofit.” The aforementioned nonprofit is Facing History and Ourselves, an international educational nonprofit for which Ms. Hawkins was an assistant. Although she has development experience, one of her future goals is to become more conversant in the business aspect, including finance and management. Other goals for the program include working to maintain the standard of excellence set by Ms. Lanier.
Ms. Hawkins noted, “Ms. Lanier has done such a wonderful job getting Breakthrough to where it is…To keep the program at the standards Ms. Lanier has brought it to is definitely one of my leading goals at the moment.” Ms. Hawkins connection with the Country Day community will be an important asset in upholding and improving the already strong partnership between Breakthrough and its host school. Although she will be giving up her current teaching position, she looks forward to maintaining her relationships with the student body and faculty. “Overall I’m just really thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of my city… at Country Day, and at Breakthrough. It’s an ideal situation because I get to maintain my relationships with [the students] and then build new relationships with additional students. I’m excited.”
