Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today appointed Robert Reffkin to the Panel for Educational Policy, replacing Chairman David Chang who resigned from the Panel on Friday, November 5th, 2010. Mr. Reffkin is a Vice President in the Principal Investment Area of Goldman Sachs & Company. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, he was an Associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at Lazard Frères, where he founded the firm's Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Professional Internship program for minority students.

"In our efforts to reform and improve New York City public schools, David has been an invaluable member of the Panel for Educational Policy for eight years," Mayor Bloomberg said.  "Robert will be able to build on that progress by bringing exceptional problem solving skills and civic commitment, which will serve our schools and children well."

"I want to thank David for his hard work and commitment to serving New York City's public schools," Chancellor Klein said.  "His leadership and knowledge as an educator have been instrumental in our work to implement educational reforms.  Robert's professional background will be an asset to the Panel for Educational Policy and will help us successfully meet the Mayor's educational goals."

"I am incredibly honored to be appointed to the Panel for Educational Policy," said Robert Reffkin. "Education provides the best pathway to opportunity, and I believe it is the most important issue facing New York City and our country. I look forward to working with Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Education to ensure that all students in New York City have access to an education that will prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century."

Mr. Reffkin currently serves on the boards of the Citizens Committee for New York City and New York Needs You - a nonprofit he founded to provide mentorship to first-generation college students. He is an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn College where he teaches Small Business & Entrepreneurship. In 2005, he was appointed as a White House Fellow to serve as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Bronx Success Academy 1. Mr. Reffkin earned his B.A. from Columbia University and M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.

The Panel for Educational Policy was created to replace the former Board of Education and is responsible for approving standards, policies and objectives directly related to educational achievement and instruction, as well as the Chancellor's regulations and department contracts. The Mayor appoints eight panel members and each Borough President appoints one. The new Chairman of the Panel will be elected at the Tuesday, November 16th meeting.