Update from the Board

Dear Center Community,

During the past year, heartfelt expressions of empathy and compassion have become everpresent. However, someone recently said to me with a worndown sigh of embarrassed fatigue, “I don’t know how many more times I can watch the news or read an article that opens with the phrase, ‘In a year like no other…

But, we must acknowledge, it has been a year like no other. The past year has been inundated with health concerns, social justice issues, economic uncertainty, natural disasters, and political strife. Everyone has suffered and sacrificed; some more than others. We extend deep sympathy to the families and friends who have endured compounding and, at times, tragic circumstances.

Through it all, and with profound respect for the challenges of the year gone by, we should take a step back and acknowledge the ever-present resilience of The Center. At a time of isolation and upended dayto-day rhythms, our school has created new and compelling formats for connection, compassion, and community.

First, we applaud the resilience, flexibility, and committed understanding of parents and grandparents who altered their schedules multiple times, pulled through with infringements on their professional lives, and partnered with the school to provide a meaningful remote learning environment.

For parents and other adults in our community, the Community Engagement and Education Series has created a robust forum to listen, learn, and share regarding salient issues including social justice, presidential politics, parenting advice, and mental health.

Additionally, our administrators have reimagined school life multiple times over, from developing an approach to distance learning, to working and reworking students’ classroom schedules, and to retrofitting our campus to allow for a safe return to school. The school’s ability to innovate and navigate through the changes speaks volumes about its commitment and expertise.

Most importantly, our gifted teachers and specialists have miraculously given our students a compelling and consistent classroom experience that advanced the curriculum and fostered a joyful bond of community and friendship. For many children, a Zoom screen was their only connection to the outside world for many months, and, as adults, they will look back with deep admiration for this special group of educators.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible work of Reveta Bowers and her team. At every turn, Reveta has approached her work with vigorous conviction to provide an extraordinary experience for students while providing the important support that allows teachers and specialists to do what they do so well. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are forever grateful for Reveta’s vision and determination to continue to uphold our school’s mission and to exemplify our core values.

Furthermore, we commend the school’s thoughtful and deliberate approach to navigating the pandemic. The team at The Center has continually delivered an outstanding academic program while incorporating the ever-changing health and safety protocols as determined by government officials and medical experts.

As this school year comes to a close, for those students graduating and to those families departing The Center, we do not yet know how this year will be remembered in hindsight, but looking ahead, we anticipate hearing about your many future accomplishments. For the rest of us, we look ahead to the next school year with tempered but optimistic and uplifting faith in our community’s resilience.

Until then, we wish you and your family a peaceful and healthy summer.

Best regards,

David Messinger

President, Board of Trustees, The Center for Early Education

David Messinger

President, Board of Trustees, The Center for Early Education

New Trustees

During the 2020-21 school year, The Center welcomed six new Trustees who reflect the best of the CEE community.

Usama Cortas

Usama Cortas is a CEE parent and Partner with Leonard Green & Partners, L.P., a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. Usama is responsible for LGP’ s investments in Software, Tech-Enabled, and Business Services. He was named one of GrowthCap’s “Top 40 Under 40 Growth Investors ” in 2014. Usama earned a BA degree in EconomicsPolitical Science from Columbia University. Usama lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three daughters, all of whom attend The Center for Early Education.

Tanya Greig Perara ‘83

Tanya Perara is a CEE alumna and current parent. She is the Executive Vice President, Film and Television Music Business Affairs at NBCUniversal responsible for business strategy and legal affairs pertaining to NBCUniversal’ s film and television music catalog. Tanya began her career as an attorney at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP specializing in entertainment litigation and transactions. She then joined Interscope Geffen A&M Records. Ms. Perara is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. She has served as a member of the boards of directors for USA for Africa, the California Copyright Conference, and the California Board of Governors for The Recording Academy. She lives with her husband and daughter, a CEE student, in Los Angeles.

Anthony Locke ‘94

Anthony Locke is a proud graduate of The Center. Anthony attended Morehouse College, earning a BA in Business Administration in 2005. He then worked as a substitute teacher and coach at his alma mater, Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences, while studying law. Following earning his JD and four years at entertainment law firm Ziffren Brittenham LLP, Anthony returned to Crossroads where he was quickly promoted to a fulltime teacher, Director of Community Service, a Faculty rep, 9th Grade Dean, and Dean of Students. In 2020, Anthony assumed the role of Head of Upper School. Anthony founded Elite Sports Club, a youth sports program committed to using athletics as a platform to inspire young athletes to reach their full human potential. He sits on the board of Coalition of Engaged Education, is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and is currently earning his doctorate in education from the Rossier School of Education at USC.

JJ Ramberg

JJ Ramberg is a current parent and an award-winning journalist, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and investor. For 12 years, JJ hosted MSNBC’ s Your Business which focused on entrepreneurship and what it takes to run a successful venture. Prior to MSNBC, JJ worked as an anchor and reporter for CNN where she covered stories ranging from Hurricane Katrina to the NYSE. She also hosted the series Follow the Food for BBC World News which documented the demands of feeding a growing global population. JJ is the cofounder of two companies, Goodshop and Goodpods, and she was recently named as part of Inc Magazine ’ s Female Founders 100 list. JJ is also the author of the best-selling It’ s Your Business and the children ’ s book The Startup Club. She holds her MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Duke University. She lives in Los Angeles with her three children, two of whom attend CEE, and her husband.

Darnell Strom

Darnell Strom is a Partner and Head of the Culture and Leadership business at premier entertainment agency, UTA. Strom represents the most transformative figures, brands, and organizations across entertainment, media, sports, fashion, the arts, entrepreneurship, politics, and thought leadership. Previously, Darnell was an Agent at Creative Artists Agency where he helped build clients ’ strategy for developing a vibrant platform across speaking, books, television, motion picture, technology, podcasts, and digital. In 2005, Strom was named Deputy Director of Scheduling to President Bill Clinton, working in the former President’ s Harlem offices. He later helped found the Clinton Foundation Millennium Network which has been recognized by President Clinton as an essential fundraising component to the future of the Clinton Foundation. Darnell and his wife are proud parents of their son, a student at CEE.

Massy Tadjedin Fardin

Massy Tadjedin Fardin is a CEE parent. She was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up in Yorba Linda, California. Massy studied English Literature at Harvard and has been writing and directing, in the feature, short film, and commercial worlds since. After writing and producing LEO (2002), she wrote THE JACKET (2005) starring Adrian Brody and Keira Knightley for Section Eight— the company founded by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney. She went on to write and direct LAST NIGHT (2010), which was shown at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival and the 2010 Rome Film Festival. In 2018, Tadjedin directed a segment for the international anthology, Berlin, I Love You, starring Keira Knightley and Helen Mirren. Massy lives with her husband and daughter, a CEE student, in Los Angeles.