Zeno Blog
To our friends, supporters, and families,
We are excited to announce that after four years of service to Zeno as our Programs + Operations Director, Maile Hadley will be Zeno’s next Executive Director beginning October 1st. Please join us in congratulating Maile and sending her well wishes as she prepares to lead Zeno into the next era of growth and development.
Zeno envisions a world where everyone knows they can learn and do math; nurturing a love of math has been at the core of our mission for nearly 20 years. Two years ago, we embarked upon a new strategic plan that strengthened and prioritized Zeno’s commitment to communities of color. Systemic racism impacts every aspect of our life, especially in educational settings, where study after study shows our educational system’s negative impact on Black and Brown children. Zeno’s dual mission brings our early math work and commitment to racial equity into direct alignment with our communities’ greatest needs.
In five years as executive director, Julie Marl led Zeno through a period of transformation. She aligned its programs, culture, and people to the original intentions of Zeno’s Founder, Akin Alston, who sought to build a love of math in communities of color that were poorly served by our educational systems. To this end, Julie guided a dedicated board and talented staff in refining Zeno’s mission to focus on early learning programs that serve communities of color. She accomplished this by genuinely valuing and centering Zeno’s work in the voices and experiences of people of color. Our current staff, inclusive organizational culture, and culturally relevant programs and products are evidence of the impact of Julie’s leadership on Zeno.
Over the last three months, we all witnessed the persistent effects of racial oppression in our society. We see the massive burden members of our community carry as those directly impacted by police violence and systemic racism. In light of these events, and after reflecting on what Zeno needs to progress to a truly anti-racist organization, Julie decided to step down. In her own words:
Julie Marl, Outgoing Executive DirectorNow that we are here, and especially in light of the changes we see across the country, I couldn’t imagine more important work for our dynamic team to lead, and Zeno couldn’t have a more qualified, prepared, and passionate leader than Maile. Maile possesses a commitment to our mission, inspiring clarity of vision, and the ability to lead with her heart while earning trust and respect from Zeno’s various constituents.
As I reflected on all that Maile is and has grown into during her time with Zeno, it became clear to me that I’m not the leader Zeno needs in its next phase. As a white leader of a majority people of color team, a majority people of color board, and an organization with a mission focused on communities of color, I accept and acknowledge the limits of what my leadership can bring to Zeno in this moment. We need a leader who speaks truth to power and represents the visionary ideals of our community with the authenticity and passion that comes from a shared lived experience. I want to be a part of Zeno actualizing our mission, and I want to do that by exiting the space that Maile is clearly ready to fill.
When Julie expressed her desire to step down, she only had one request, that the board consider Maile as her replacement. Traditionally boards would lead an intensive search for an Executive Director, but we knew we couldn’t risk losing our best candidate to another organization in the process. Maile is exactly who we need right now to continue the work underway and to accelerate its growth. No one knows our programs more than she does. Her background as an engineer speaks to her love of math, and her resume provides evidence of her capacity to design programs that achieve organizational goals and positively impact the community. Over the last four years Julie and Maile worked closely together and shared leadership in key programmatic areas. The choice was clear.
Maile Hadley, Incoming Executive DirectorToday, I am proud and excited to lead Zeno in a world of possibilities and out of necessity. Now is our time, and we will double down on who we are. Our team’s amazing work sets a new trajectory for what Zeno can accomplish. I see Zeno leading the conversation around race at the intersection of math, early learning, and family engagement; our products and programs, front and center in the work to normalize children of color as lovers and learners of math; our culturally relevant games in homes across the country.
We will become the go-to resource for systems and those seeking to develop authentic relationships built upon mutual respect with the families they reach, a shining example of what it means to be a partner organization. I’ve seen our small but mighty team use this current moment in history to reach partners, families, and supporters in more creative ways than ever before. When I think about the leadership, expertise, and passion of this team, especially considering how we pivoted our work in response to COVID-19, I’m astonished, overwhelmed, humbled, and inspired.
This is our moment. Our moment to actualize and lead from our values, to lend our voice to the ongoing dialogue at the intersection of race, education, and community. I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity at this time. Truly, Thank You.
Please join us in celebrating Maile and Julie and their commitment to leading from Zeno’s core values. I urge you to stay tuned for what’s next and to consider connecting directly with Maile to learn more about the work ahead and what’s next for Zeno.
