NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Aug. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech (Clarke) today announced the appointment of Bruce Skyer as president and CEO.
Skyer brings nearly 30 years of strategic business consulting, management and operations experience in youth-service and healthcare sectors to Clarke. Skyer comes to Clarke from Child First, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and grew a sustainable national model that supports more than 2,000 children.
Prior to Child First, Skyer led the National Kidney Foundation as CEO where he spearheaded a new operating model that doubled the number of patients served while reducing expenses. His leadership transformed the foundation which serves millions of patients and health-care professionals.
"We are thrilled to welcome Bruce and support his work building a firm foundation for Clarke's future growth," says Michael Straubel, co-chair of Clarke's Board of Trustees. "As a father of two children who have benefited from Clarke's program, I can confidently say his vision, passion and approach embody Clarke's mission and culture."
Clarke supports individuals who are deaf of hard of hearing—from newborns to seniors—with programs and customized services intended to meet listening and spoken language goals. The tailored approach includes a continuum of services for students and their families at home, at sites along the East Coast, in mainstream classrooms and remotely through teleservices.
"I am eager to lead Clarke and be part of a team transforming the lives of hundreds of students and families annually," says Skyer. "In these unprecedented times it's critical we continue to meet the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and chart a sustainable path forward for Clarke."
"Bruce will support and strengthen Clarke's phenomenal leaders as we navigate the complexities of the pandemic and maintain our commitment to helping students and families thrive," says Megan Cohen, co-chair of Clarke's Board of Trustees. "He will enhance our strategic plan as we continue to refine our operations and program delivery with an eye toward serving more families."
Skyer's leadership comes as Clarke begins its second year of implementing a five-year strategic plan. The plan addresses operational and funding sustainability, as well as the standardization of empirically-supported services for infants, children, youth and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Skyer holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University and master's degree in finance from Fordham University. He is a former member of the All Stars Helping Kids New York Advisory Board and Congregation B'nai Israel (Bridgeport, CT) Board of Trustees.
Skyer succeeds Doug Scott who has been a resolute force driving Clarke's progress and evolution in recent years. Scott is retiring and will transition to Clarke's Board of Trustees enabling the organization to continue to benefit from his institutional knowledge and leadership experience.
To learn more about Clarke, please visit clarkeschools.org.
About Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech
Since 1867, Clarke has provided children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the education and services they need to succeed in a hearing world, evolving to best meet the needs of children and families today through programs like Birth to Age Three, virtual tVISIT (teleservices), Preschool, K-8, Mainstream and summer services, as well as our audiological services, Comprehensive Educational Evaluations (CEE) and professional development offerings. Annually, Clarke serves more than 1,000 children and their families in their homes, at our five locations along the East Coast, in mainstream classrooms and remotely using teleservices. Learn more at clarkeschools.org.
SOURCE Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech
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