For Immediate Release
The George Lucas Educational Foundation Announces New Senior Staff Appointments
Chip Fesko, Veteran Ad Sales Executive, to Lead Edutopia Cross-Platform Sales and Strategic Alliances;
Cal Joy to Serve as Senior Director of Digital Content and Technology
San Rafael, CA (June 18, 2007) -- The George Lucas Educational Foundation, the nonprofit organization that chronicles and advocates innovative practices in education, has named Chip Fesko senior director of advertising sales and strategic alliances. In addition, Cal Joy has been promoted from art director and Web producer to senior director of digital content and technology for Edutopia.org, the popular Web resource published by the Foundation. Cindy Johanson, chief operating officer, announced the appointments.
"We are experiencing dramatic growth as stakeholders in education reform seek out Edutopia -- on the Web, through our award-winning magazine, and via our video documentaries. I'm thrilled that Chip is joining our team at this exciting stage of development," said Johanson. "His impressive experience, understanding of the education marketplace, and commitment to advancing education change are a perfect combination to lead our advertising sales and corporate alliances."
Fesko was previously senior vice president of the Curpier Company, the director of advertising sales/western U.S. for Teaching K-8 magazine and the director of advertising sales/western U.S. for numerous Scholastic publications including Scholastic Administrator, Scholastic Technology Buyer's Guide, Instructor, Instructor New Teacher, Scholastic After School and Scholastic Coach. Fesko has sold millions of dollars of advertising over the years to clients including Adobe, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, and Intel. He has a master's degree in communication from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, at Syracuse University, and resides in Newport Beach, California, with his wife and ten-year-old son.
As the Foundation continues to build and grow its new-media services, Johanson has also announced the promotion of Edutopia art director and Web producer Cal Joy to the new position of senior director of digital content and technology. In this role, Joy will oversee all developing Internet operations for The George Lucas Educational Foundation, including Edutopia.org and IT services, as well as future new-media initiatives.
A seasoned Internet developer and designer at Mother Jones and the Body Shop, Joy joined Edutopia in early 2005. Since that time, she has established an impressive track record on Edutopia.org with a 60 percent growth in visitors and a 30 percent increase in return visits during the last twelve months, two critical measures of site performance. Most recently, Joy led the launch of user-participation features across the Web site that resulted in more than 6,000 comments posted to date.
On Joy's promotion, Johanson said, "Cal is an extraordinary talent and she has established a terrific foundation for our future. I'm confident that under Cal's leadership in this new senior position we will greatly expand our existing Internet services and advance our mission."
About The George Lucas Educational Foundation:
The George Lucas Educational Foundation, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit operating foundation that documents and disseminates information about exemplary programs in K-12 schools to help these practices spread nationwide. It serves this mission through the creation of media, from films, books, e-newsletters and DVDs. Its magazine Edutopia, Web site Edutopia.org, and documentaries celebrate the unsung heroes across the nation who are making "Edutopia" a reality.
