Tasha Green Cruzat will join the nonprofit Voices for Illinois Children as president next month. She previously held management positions in state government and most recently served as chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Cruzat will succeed Gaylord Gieseke, who worked in various roles within the organization for 27 years. Interim President Harry Wells has been in the position since July.
In December, Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed Kelley Washington as the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Education. Previously, Washington was chief of staff to Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis, and has a background in consulting, business and human resources management. She replaces Theresa Hawley, who stepped down from the position and returned to her consulting practice.
Nine principals recently were retained as contract principals at their schools: Gerald Byers at Nixon Elementary; Elias Estrada at Alcott College Prep; Elvia Garcia-Graham at Spry; Leviis Haney at Lovett Elementary; Dawn Hawk at McKay Elementary; Edwin Loch at Reinberg Elementary; Alene Mason at Joplin Elementary; Anna Pavichevich at Amundsen High and Rodolfo Rojas at Everett Elementary.
One school also got a new contract principal: Paul O’Toole, assistant principal at Stevenson Elementary, became principal at the school.