Two new members join the Teachers College Trustees. Gillian Toledo, a third grade teacher in Seattle, and Arthur Zankel, General Partner of High Rise Partners, LP, were elected at a recent Board meeting.

Both Toledo and Zankel are dedicated to using education as a tool to overcome struggles in low-income areas.

Toledo developed her love of education through her interest in international issues. Through human rights work in Honduras, Guatemala and Ecuador she discovered the power of education.

During her time studying in Ecuador, she worked with women who lost husbands or sons when political conflict made people "disappear." She helped them to fight for their cause by documenting it-interviewing them, writing about them and guiding them through the system.

"Without education, these women were powerless," said Toledo, who was in a University of Puget Sound exchange student program at the time. "Education is the most powerful tool that I had been given and it was then that I decided I wanted to make sure that others would have this tool, too."

After graduation, she taught sixth to eighth grade at a Montessori school in Seattle, "to test the waters of teaching." A short time later, she packed her bags and headed to TC to learn more about being an educator. She earned a Master's Degree in Elementary Education in 1997. She teaches at The Bush School, founded by Helen Bush. It is the oldest independent K-12 school in Seattle.

"I don't know where teaching is going to lead me," said Toledo. "But, I believe strongly that education gives people hope and the tools to be or do whatever they want-whether it's a teacher, a lawyer or fighting a cause."

Like Toledo, Zankel has a strong connection to educating people to empower them. In his midtown office, chains of numbers float by on two large computer screens on his desk. It's obvious that he likes math, odds, and probabilities. After chatting with him for a few minutes, it's just as obvious that he loves education.

Teachers College is especially important to Zankel because he is interested in educating people in low-income areas. He said that education is the key to helping people to follow their dreams and pursue careers they would enjoy.

"If you look around the world, there is only democracy where there are minimal education standards," said Zankel. "Being involved with Teachers College is an excellent opportunity to do amazing things for both education and the College itself."

Zankel's busy life includes serving on the Board of Directors of Citigroup as well as being a trustee of Carnegie Hall, Skidmore College, Jerusalem Foundation, UJA-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies.

A New York resident, Zankel has four children with his wife, Judy, who is an artist. He earned a B.S. in Economics from University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Published Monday, May. 20, 2002