Rick Ventura Named Chief Development Officer at THINK Together

Online, December 19, 2011 (Newswire.com) - THINK Together, California's fastest-growing extended-learning program, today announced the appointment of Rick Ventura as Chief Development Officer. Ventura, who joins THINK Together from the Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County, will report to Randy Barth, CEO and Founder of THINK Together.

In this new position, Ventura will develop and execute annual and multi-year development strategies for all aspects of THINK Together's fundraising efforts. His responsibilities also include providing leadership to THINK Together's community relations programs, as well as overseeing annual giving, grant writing, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving and special events.

"Rick brings more than three decades of extensive education experience and a great record of fund development success," said Randy Barth, CEO and Founder of THINK Together. "We are very excited about his innovative vision and tactical expertise, and the impact that he will make as THINK Together continues to provide the best extended-learning education program in the country."

Ventura has more than 30 years of education experience, including development, fund raising, strategic planning and management. He joins THINK Together after serving as executive director of the Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County, where he directed all Foundation development strategies, campaigns, endowment strategies, major, principal and planned gift solicitations, Foundation relations, e-philanthropy annual giving and stewardship. Ventura led the effort to raise more than $6 million in the current fiscal year, created and managed a structure of Foundation committees, initiated and implemented a five-year strategic development plan and initiated community outreach programs to all Foundation constituencies and health care providers.

Prior to working with the Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County, Ventura served as chief operating officer/vice president of development for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALS Association) in Calabasas Hills, California. His responsibilities included direction and oversight of the development/fund raising efforts of the ALS Association National Office, as well as the forty-one geographically dispersed chapters. Ventura has also served as the senior associate dean for development and public affairs at the University of Southern California, the vice provost for development at the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Los Angeles and the assistant vice chancellor, development, for the University of California, Riverside.

Ventura earned a Master's Degree in Political Science at California State University, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in World/American History at California State University, Los Angeles.

About THINK Together
THINK Together is one of the leading and largest nonprofit providers of extended-learning time programs (early literacy, after-school, small group tutoring, summer learning, etc.) in the U.S., serving 100,000 students at more than 400 locations across 30 school districts and more than 30 cities across a five-county footprint of Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego) plus greater Sacramento. Partnering with school administrators and teachers, its academically oriented programs and dedicated team of 2,000 employees are helping students close the achievement gap. THINK is an acronym: Teaching, Helping, Inspiring & Nurturing Kids. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.THINKtogether.org or www.facebook.com/THINKtogether.

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