Experienced Nonprofit Professional and Educator Derrick Reed Joins BRI

From the classroom to the nonprofit world, Derrick Reed is a man of many talents.

Now, he is bringing those talents to the Bill of Rights Institute as the organization’s new Director of Strategic Partnerships.

A native of Philadelphia, Pa., Reed comes to BRI after serving as a senior manager of corporate relations at the Heart Rhythm Society. Reed also worked in local education policy in Washington, D.C., and saw firsthand how social studies was too often treated as an afterthought.

“Most state accountability systems don’t even bother to use them as part of how schools are evaluated,” Reed said.

Reed believes civic education is important for improving schools and the education experience for the nation’s young people. He likens civics to the martial arts, saying, “Once you’re taught it, you can apply it to the real world almost immediately, regardless of where you are situated in life.”

A former social studies teacher from Georgia, it did not take Reed long to get excited about BRI’s resources and mission. Reed has also participated as a student, coach, and judge in the national and international debate community, and believes civil debate is at the heart of our nation’s history of free speech, compromise, and civic duty.

“I couldn’t be prouder to be hired by an organization that advocates for the best of these worlds,” Reed said. “I would like to use my experience as an educator, knowledge of education policy, and skills in fundraising – and some persuasive argumentation skills – to help this organization grow, impact more students, and to elevate what has been the forgotten child of education.”

Bill of Rights Institute Vice President of Development Anthony Simone said our nation’s teachers and young people will have a powerful ally in Reed as he works to help BRI deliver even more support and resources for civic and history education.

“Derrick Reed has been in the classroom and he understands what our students and educators need,” Simone said. “As an experienced fundraiser and nonprofit professional, he will play a crucial role in helping BRI continue to deliver for our nation’s schools, teachers, and children.”