Student Leadership Network Welcomes New Board Members

Published on July 5, 2023 on Newsfile Corp.

NEW YORK, July 5, 2023 /Newsfile Corp./ —  Student Leadership Network (SL Network) is pleased to announce the appointment of Joshua Bellis, Laurie Rosenblatt, and Jake Strauss to its Board of Directors. SL Network’s Board bolsters the nonprofit’s mission of supporting young people growing up in diverse underserved communities to gain access to higher education and achieve success. 

Joshua Bellis is a senior talent leader who has nearly two decades of experience in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practice in talent programming. He is the Global Head of Talent Acquisition Programs & Talent Attraction at PTC and a lecturer at Columbia University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. His prior roles leading early career development, DEI, branding, and HR transformation at Nasdaq have garnered several awards and accolades.

Laurie Rosenblatt has an extensive background in corporate law, social work, and nonprofit philanthropy. With a demonstrated commitment to education and social services, she currently serves on several boards including Poly Prep Country Day School and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. She is also an active volunteer at her college alma mater and brings a wealth of board management experience.

Jake Strauss is a Managing Director at Warburg Pincus and brings 15 years of private equity and business management expertise to SL Network’s board. His experiences at Warburg Pincus and previously at Citigroup span healthcare, energy, consumer products and retail investing and investment banking.

In addition to appointing new members, SL Network’s Board of Directors unanimously voted Bradley Ruskin as Board Chair. Ruskin shared, “We are thrilled to welcome this diverse and talented group to our Board. In combination, we have added to our cadre of educators, industry experts, volunteers, and parents to help guide our organization to reach more students and help them achieve their dreams. We all look forward to working with Joshua, Laurie, and Jake towards a future without barriers to the educational opportunities all students deserve.”

Ruskin’s longtime service and leadership on the board will help guide the expertise of its newest members. He joined the board in 2014 and has served as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, a member of the CollegeBound Initiative Committee, and was awarded the “Man We Love” honor at the organization’s signature (Em)Power Breakfast event in 2019. The new board members have already hit the ground running at SL Network, sharing their professional journeys at career exploration events with The Young Women’s Leadership Schools (TYWLS) students and supporting the annual (Em)Power Breakfast.

“Student Leadership Network’s Board of Directors is a dedicated team of community and industry leaders who share our vision of educational equity for all,” said Yolonda Marshall, SL Network CEO. “We are excited to welcome Joshua, Laurie, and Jake to our Board at a pivotal time and are eager to tap into each of their unique talents to strengthen and scale our impact on students and public education systems nationwide.”