Kevin Jennings, head of the U.S. Education Department's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, has been chosen as the new CEO of Boston-based Be the Change Inc., reports Youth Today. Jennings, a leading anti-bullying and gay rights advocate, will join Be the Change on July 25. Though a target of conservatives for his work as founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Jennings championed and presided over the first White House Conference on Bullying in March.
Jennings was a teacher in Providence, R.I. before he founded GLSEN, the nation's leading organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Jennings takes over Be the Change as it launches another major campaign – ServiceNation was the name of the effort that led to the passage of the Serve America Act – called OpportunityNation, focused on promoting opportunity, social and economic mobility and fighting poverty.