Former Mayor Michael A. Nutter Joins Wonderschool as Senior Advisor
98th Mayor of Philadelphia to Build Partnerships with Leaders Prioritizing Affordable and Accessible Child Care Amid Pandemic Recovery and Beyond.
Wonderschool, an innovative online platform that connects families to a diverse set of child care options and supports the providers, today announced former City of Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter has joined its team as a senior advisor.
In this role, Nutter will help guide Wonderschool’s continued expansion by identifying and forging partnerships with governments and organizations that prioritize high-quality, affordable and accessible early care and learning in their communities. His appointment is effective immediately.
“Child care is the backbone of the economy, and in order to truly recover from the pandemic, government leaders must prioritize not only expanding access to high-quality options for families in their communities but also supporting those who provide the care,” said Wonderschool Co-Founder and CEO Chris Bennett. “We’re thrilled to welcome Michael Nutter to our team to position Wonderschool as a solution for cities and states forging a path forward.”
Nutter served as the 98th Mayor of his hometown from 2008 to 2016. During his tenure, he lowered crime, improved educational attainment rates, made Philadelphia the greenest city in America, attracted new businesses and residents to the city, and led the city through the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. He also put forth a comprehensive education initiative, called A Running Start, designed to provide high-quality education for children from birth to five years old.
Since leaving public service, Nutter has remained active in public policy, government, and civic life. Among his many activities and appointments, he serves on the Board of Advisors of the African American Mayors Association, as a national spokesperson for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities program, and as a Principal Advisor at 40 North Advocacy, a public policy, communications and government affairs firm. He is also the former President of the United States Conference of Mayors, the official non-partisan organization of almost 1,300 U.S. cities with populations of 30,000 or more.
“Backed by federal stimulus dollars, state and local governments are in a position to put into place comprehensive plans for pandemic recovery and accelerate existing strategies for improvement,” Nutter said. “Quality care and education for our youngest citizens and their working families must be a key tenet of any successful leader’s vision for the future. Wonderschool is one way to ensure that is possible. I look forward to our work together.”
About Wonderschool
Wonderschool is building the largest network of high-quality early education programs. Wonderschool offers a diversity of options and combines engaged teachers and thoughtful education with the warmth of a family program while maintaining standards that go above and beyond state requirements. By providing dedicated support, technology, training, mentorship, and community, Wonderschool lets teachers focus on what they do best— teaching—and allows them to earn a sustainable living in the field they love. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in Education in 2019, Wonderschool is based in San Francisco and venture-backed by Andreessen Horowitz, First Round, Omidyar, Unusual Ventures, and Gary Community Investments, among others. Learn more at www.wonderschool.com.
SOURCE Wonderschool