Columbus, OH, March 5, 2018

After an expansive national search, Business Professionals of America Inc., (BPA) and its Board of Trustees are pleased to announce the hiring of LouAnn Ross as the organization’s new Executive Director.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, LouAnn is an accomplished and committed executive with extensive experience in organizational administration, board governance, and program management. With more than 10 years of leadership experience and service in the nonprofit arena, coupled with her work in education, LouAnn recognizes the benefits of preparing students with skills that will last them a lifetime, far beyond the classroom. She has proven success cultivating partnerships with departments of education, local and national foundations, career and technical education, and parent & student advocacy groups, among others. She brings a wealth of experience into this new role, and a higher-level of collaboration which will assure the needs of all BPA members are met.

Having been recognized nationally as an Executive of Excellence, LouAnn has led the implementation of a youth financial literacy program for high schoolers in partnership with local and national lending institutions, driven the turnaround of two organizations, and has been the founding executive of another. She is encouraged and inspired by those who work relentlessly to make the world a better place for youth. Committed to the belief that all youth deserve the best that we have to offer, LouAnn continually seeks ways to cultivate innovative programs that provide opportunities for leadership development and educational growth.

“We are ecstatic that LouAnn is joining Business Professionals of America as Executive Director, said Board Chairman Patrick Schultz. “LouAnn’s extensive background and experience, combined with her passion for our mission and her vision for growth, are a perfect match for the strategic advancement of our organization.”

LouAnn is an innovator and an accomplished leader with a record for success having served as Executive Director for organizations in the midst of turnaround or start-up, and understands the importance of having a strong foundation from which to grow. Her professional career has offered her opportunities with the American Heart Association, Communities in Schools, Teach for America, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Neighborhood Housing Services, and most recently as the founding Executive Director of Jeremiah’s Place.

“It is an incredible honor to be named the Executive Director of Business Professionals of America, an innovative CTSO leader for more than fifty years,” said Ross. “I am grateful to the Board of Trustees for this remarkable opportunity and I look forward to working with the dedicated BPA staff, national officers, and State and Classroom Advisory Councils as, together, we prepare students for the global workforce.”

LouAnn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management (MPPM) from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and a Master’s degree in Education (MAEd) from East Carolina University. Currently, she is enrolled in a Doctoral program in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University.

LouAnn will officially start as the Executive Director on April 2, 2018, and can be contacted by email at lross@bpa.org.