Heads of New York’s prestigious Trinity and Berkeley-Carroll schools to join the renowned nonprofit’s Board
Press Release – NEW YORK, NY January 25 – Oliver Scholars, a nonprofit preparing high-achieving African-American and Latino students for success at the nation’s best independent schools and colleges, today announced that three new members have joined the Board of Trustees. John Allman, head of the Trinity School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan; Robert Vitalo, head of the Berkeley Carroll School in Park Slope, Brooklyn; and Michael Kessler, attorney with Clifford Chance; were selected to serve on the Board.
CEO David Allyn says, “On behalf of the entire Oliver community, I am delighted to welcome Bob, John, and Michael to our Board of Trustees. This is an exciting time for Oliver as we are poised to double the number of students we serve in the next three years, and the support and experience of our Board of Trustees is integral to our ongoing strategic growth and expansion.”
Board Chair Dorothea Schlosser adds, “I am thrilled about Michael, John and Bob joining the Board. New trustees energize the board and bring a new perspective to the organization. Oliver Scholars is in a period of rapid growth, and we are eager to share Oliver’s message with our expanding circle of friends, schools, and supporters”
John Allman is Head of School at the Trinity School, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Prior to the Trinity School, Mr. Allman served as headmaster at the St. John’s School in Houston, Texas. He is a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools’ Committee on Accreditation and former Secondary Commission Chair of the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. Mr. Allman received his M.A. in English from the University of Virginia.
“We treasure our Oliver Scholars. Within the classroom, they are intellectually engaged and passionate; beyond the classroom, they contribute in significant ways to our community, as artists, as athletes, as leaders. We are immeasurably enriched by their active presence in our community, and we hope always to be a school that Oliver Scholars seek to attend.”
Robert Vitalo is Head of School at the Berkeley Carroll School in Park Slope, Brooklyn. He has served on the Board of Trustees at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and the Mary McDowell Friends School. A graduate of New York University, Mr. Vitalo actively supports several organizations and nonprofits including the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Association of Independent School Admission Professionals and the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
“It is an honor to be invited to join the Board of Oliver Scholars. For years I have known of the great work that is done by the organization by witnessing the hard work and achievements of its young scholars. I now have the opportunity to participate in the growth of the organization and look forward to contributing to achieving our mission of developing future leaders.”
Michael Kessler became involved with Oliver Scholars through his pro-bono work for the organization’s endowment. Mr. Kessler regularly advises private equity firms, hedge fund managers, clean energy companies and real estate businesses in both domestic and international capital markets. Mr. Kessler has played a key role in a number of successful IPOs on the NYSE and works extensively with leading private equity sponsors on their strategic permanent capital strategies. Additionally, he has cross border securities and M&A experience. Mr. Kessler holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Florida and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Says Michael, “I am so inspired by the passionate execution of this important educational mission.”
For more information about Oliver Scholars and the Board of Trustees, visit oliverscholars.org
About Oliver Scholars:
Oliver Scholars prepares high-achieving African-American and Latino students for success at the nation’s best independent schools and colleges. Oliver identifies talented New York City students and places them at top schools with robust financial aid. The Oliver experience includes up to ten years of one-on-one support, after-school and summer coursework, and pre-career training.
Oliver Scholars, a nonprofit organization, is distinctive among access programs for its commitment to providing transition support for the whole family, developing students’ social-emotional skills, and instilling an ethos of giving back. Nearly 90 percent of Oliver alumni have attended U.S. News & World Report top 100 colleges, and over 30 percent have attended Ivy League institutions. Since its founding in 1984, Oliver Scholars has graduated over 1,100 students.
By removing economic and social barriers to achievement, Oliver Scholars helps gifted, underserved students achieve their potential as next generation change-makers, thought-leaders and trailblazers. For more information, visit oliverscholars.org.
