The Madison Public Schools Foundation had appointed Mo Cheeks as its next president. Cheeks begins the role on June 1.
Founded in 2001, MPSF advocates for and raises private funds for Madison public schools.
“Mo is the right leader at the right time for our organization,” Jill Jokela, chair of the MPSF board of directors, said in a statement. “As we prepare to celebrate 25 years of serving Madison’s public schools, the board has tremendous confidence in Mo’s ability to lead the next chapter of the Foundation’s work.”
Cheeks was the founding board chair of Schools Make Madison Advocates, the foundation’s affiliated advocacy organization. He previously served on the MPSF board of directors and was on the Madison City Council from 2013 to 2019, and has been recognized by In Business Madison as one of Madison’s “40 Under 40.“
“Public schools are one of the few places left in this country where people from all walks of life share the same space. This makes them one of our most important societal institutions,” Cheeks said in a statement. “When schools are strong, communities are strong.”
Cheeks will oversee the foundation’s fundraising, advocacy, community engagement, strategic initiatives and more than $14 million in assets.
