The TechTown Chattanooga Foundation announced Friday that the organization successfully applied for and received 501(c)(3) status in the state of Tennessee. The retroactive approval dates back to Nov. 20, 2014.
“This is an exciting day for TechTown and for underserved communities across the region,” said Board Chairman Michael Harrell. “This nonprofit status is a major step forward in meeting our mission to ensure technology education directly and positively impacts every young learner in our city. With a one-of-a-kind facility and amazing technology tools in hand, we can inspire the next generation and offer them new possibilities for success.”
Cordell Carter, II, former chief of staff of the Bill and Melinda Gates Education Foundation, has been named executive director of the foundation, where he will oversee efforts to grow the Chattanooga program, summer camps and after school learning programs.
“Cordell is dedicated to the vision of helping every child in the region have the opportunity for innovation learning,” said Mr. Harrell. “Our focus is on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, but beyond that, we strive to offer our participants self confidence and a vision full of new and exciting possibilities. Cordell’s passion for education and successful background working with nonprofits makes him the right person for the job.”
Mr. Carter joins TechTown from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic organization, where he served as chief of staff and director of operations, U.S. Programs Division. He has a history of working with youth and technology, ranging from urban school districts to IBM.
Mr. Carter’s past leadership experiences include serving as the vice president of operations for the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, vice president of public policy for the Business Roundtable, director of school support services and special assistant for Seattle Public School District and management consultant for IBM Corporation.
He serves on the board of directors of education, health and social sector organizations in Washington, D.C. and Seattle.
Mr. Carter earned a Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School, a Masters of Science in Public Policy and Management Studies from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Economics from the University of Washington.