New York, NY, April 13, 2022 — PLACE NYC (Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education) announces the election on Thursday, March 31, 2022, of a new executive board. The seven officers began their term with PLACE NYC effective April 1, 2022.
Three Executive Board members will join four returning officers to comprise an incoming team of dedicated community leaders who will each help support the advocacy group’s work to preserve and expand access to high-quality public schools and curricula.
- Lucas Liu (continuing Co-President) is a current public school parent and has been involved with education advocacy as a volunteer in many different capacities for over 25 years, and is one of the many parents who came together and founded PLACE NYC in 2019. He is a 4-term member of CEC District 3 where he currently serves as President of CEC District 3, and previously served as Treasurer.
- Alysa O’Shea (Co-President) is the Queens Representative for Citywide Council on High Schools, where she chairs the Bylaws and Communications & Technology Committees. She is also the Chair of the Alumni Relations Committee for Townsend Harris High School’s PTA. O’Shea was previously Co-Secretary for PLACE NYC as well as Queens BP Appointee to CEC District 27, where she was elected as Treasurer and Parliamentarian.
- Deborah Alexander (Vice President) is the proud mother of two children in NYC public schools. She has been a member of the CEC District 30 for nine years and served as Co-President for four. She received a New York City Proclamation for Work as a Community Leader and previously served as Co-Secretary for PLACE NYC.
- Vito LaBella (continuing Co-Treasurer) is a twice-elected Parent Member of CEC District 20, where he currently serves as Recording Secretary. He is also President of IS 187 PTO and former President of the District 20 Presidents’ Council. He is also an Executive Board and SLT member of the Brooklyn Technical High School Parents Association. Prior to his current advocacy, LaBella served as a lieutenant in the NYC Police Department, where he retired after a 31-year career.
- Craig Slutzkin (Co-Treasurer) is the Co-President and Treasurer of the Townsend Harris High School Alumni Association, for which he manages the Alumni Association’s endowment and has been proudly serving since 1995. He is also currently the Co-Secretary of the PS 340 PTA and the Secretary of Manhattan Community Board 5, vice-chairing both the Parks & Public Spaces and Public Safety & Quality of Life Committees.
- T. Hunter Dare (Co-Secretary) is a parent of a 6th grader at MS 104 where he serves on the School Leadership Team. He is also Co-Chair of PLACE NYC’s Gifted & Talented Advocacy Team. He has served on the Board of Directors for multiple non-profits where he helped build a Hospital in Somalia, supported non-profit education efforts in the developing world and the US, and served on investment committees managing endowments.
- Jean Hahn (Co-Secretary) is a parent-elected SLT member and former PA Co-President and Vice President at PS 174, where she has one child in the G&T program. Hahn is also co-founder of Queens Parents United, a coalition of parents, families, and other community stakeholders committed to pursuing excellence in our public school system for all by improving schools within each local community.
“The election of the new Executive Board is a historic moment for PLACE NYC. We have grown tremendously from a small group of frustrated but motivated parents who came together in 2019 into a leading educational advocacy organization in NYC. While we have made great strides in achieving our goals and serving the students of NYC, there is still much work to be done.” said Lucas Liu, who will continue serving as PLACE NYC’s co-President.
“I am thrilled to welcome the new Board of dedicated parent leaders who will uphold the mission of expanding accelerated education opportunities for NYC families,” said Yiatin Chu. Maud Maron added: “I am so proud of my fellow parent advocates and the work we have done to create PLACE and give parents who demand rigorous education a seat at the table.” Outgoing executive officers Chu, Maron, and Benjamin Morden will serve as Ex-Officio Board members.