SACRAMENTO, Calif. – [September 26, 2024] – Parent Teacher Home Visits (PTHV), a national leader in fostering strong family-school partnerships, announces the appointment of Andrea Prejean, Ed.D., as its new Executive Director. Dr. Prejean will assume the role on October 1, 2024, succeeding Gina Martinez-Keddy, who is retiring after a distinguished career with PTHV. 

A Passionate Leader with Extensive Experience  

Dr. Prejean brings a wealth of experience and dedication to family engagement in education to PTHV. She has held prominent leadership roles at the National Education Association (NEA), including Director of Teacher Quality and Director of the NEA Community Schools Initiative. In these positions, she championed teacher leadership, family engagement efforts through policy and practice development, grant programs, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders. She also served on PTHV’s Board from 2013 to 2019. 

“To say that I am deeply honored to join PTHV and lead this impactful organization is an understatement,” said Dr. Prejean. “My belief in and commitment to this organization goes back many years. PTHV’s evidence-based model of home visits builds trust and relationships between families and educators, ultimately creating a more supportive learning environment that paves the way to academic success for all students. I am excited to leverage my experience to advance PTHV’s reach and impact.” 

PTHV Board Chair Lisa Levasseur said she and the PTHV Board of Directors couldn’t be more excited about Dr. Prejean’s appointment. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Prejean to PTHV,” said Levasseur. “Her impressive background in education policy and family engagement aligns perfectly with our mission. We are confident that Dr. Prejean will lead PTHV into its next chapter.” 

Levasseur also extended her gratitude to Gina Martinez-Keddy for her exceptional leadership over the last seven years and for her decades-long involvement with PTHV. “Gina has been a visionary force within PTHV since its inception,” said Levasseur. “As one of the founding organizers, she played a pivotal role in establishing PTHV’s mission and laying the groundwork for its growth. We are incredibly grateful for her most recent seven-year tenure as Executive Director. Our future is bright because of her dedicated service and we wish her all the best in her retirement.” 

Martinez-Keddy, who during her tenure oversaw a series of independent evaluations of the PTHV model, expanded the staff, presided over innovations to PTHV’s training and implementation services,  and inaugurated the first National PTHV Week, will step down on September 30, 2024.  

“It has been an honor to serve as Executive Director of PTHV and witness firsthand the transformative power of home visits,” said Gina Martinez-Keddy. “I am proud of the progress we have made in strengthening school-family partnerships and improving student outcomes. I am confident that PTHV is in excellent hands with Andrea at the helm.” 

With Dr. Prejean’s leadership and Gina Martinez-Keddy’s legacy, PTHV is well-positioned to continue its mission of strengthening connections between families and schools and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed. 

About Parent Teacher Home Visits (PTHV) 

PTHV advances student success and school improvement by leveraging relationships, research, and a national network of partners to advance evidence-based practices in relational home visits within a comprehensive family engagement strategy. Learn more at pthvp.org