Building Hope, the non-profit leader in charter school facilities, financing, and services, today announced the appointment of education impact investor and strategist Andre Bennin to its Board of Directors. Building Hope’s Board now includes 11 directors.
“It is my pleasure, on behalf of Building Hope’s entire Board of Directors, to welcome Andre Bennin to our growing organization,” said Sheila Ryan-Macie, chair of the board of directors. “Andre has committed his career to moving the needle in education, particularly for underserved populations. His breadth and depth of experience in impact investing are invaluable additions as we create new ways for organizations to participate in the public charter school growth effort.”
Bennin currently serves as managing partner of Rethink Education, a leading impact venture capital firm focused on education, where he actively shapes the portfolio, positioning, and thesis. Previously, he held positions at Juvo Ventures and Strada Education Network, working as investment lead on several direct minority, control, and fund investments, and helped spearhead the creation of Indiana’s Next Level Fund while working in the Office of the Governor of Indiana.
“Education has been an extremely important part of my life, as my mother pushed the importance of education to my brother and me from a very young age,” said Bennin, who was born in Côte d’Ivoire before immigrating to the United States. “I have seen firsthand the doors that education opens and how education is a tool for economic mobility. It is in my ethos, and a huge part of who I am, to pay back the opportunities I have had by paying it forward and creating educational opportunities for others.”
Bennin earned both a bachelor of science degree in molecular biology and a juris doctorate from Brigham Young University. He has been recognized by Savoy Magazine as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America. Over the course of his career, Bennin has served on the boards of Authess, Cell-Ed, BridgeEdu, and Roadtrip Nation, and he has been an advisory board member of Kenzie Academy and GSV Ventures. He currently serves on the boards of Pathstream, a Rethink Education portfolio company, and Believe Circle City High School, a public college and career preparatory high school in Indianapolis.
About Building Hope
Building Hope is a national non-profit that empowers advancements in education through our work with charter schools providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 20-year history, Building Hope has invested more than $482 million in high-impact charter schools serving nearly 200,000 children.
For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org.
