Peninsula Bridge

Posted on August 15, 2011 2:09 PM

Deirdre joins Peninsula Bridge from Middle Grades Partnership where she was a founding Program Director.  Similar to Bridge, this program offers academically promising middle school students the opportunity to excel academically by providing them with comprehensive summer and after-school learning opportunities.  She was able to work with Grainger Marburg, former Executive Director for the last two weeks of the summer program where she had the opportunity to see and experience the program firsthand. Grainger has transitioned out of Peninsula Bridge after a six year tenure during which the organization added two news sites and expanded the program to serve 60% more students.
Deirdre brings extensive experience as an entrepreneur and over a decade of experience in education.  In addition to her work with Middle Grades Partnership, she served as acting director for a statewide charter school advocacy network, completed longitudinal research on training public school leaders, and taught both middle and high school in public and independent schools. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from   the University of California, Berkeley, a Masters in Leadership in Teaching from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, and earned principal certification after additional graduate work in school administration at Johns Hopkins University.

Stephen Fick, Board Chair of Peninsula Bridge, says "We are delighted to welcome Deirdre Marlowe to Bridge.  Her experience leading an organization serving middle school students and as a successful entrepreneur will be valuable as we enter an important new phase of growth. Stephen adds "We also want to thank outgoing executive director Grainger Marburg for his leadership over the last six plus years.  Grainger leaves the organization in wonderful shape and we wish him the best of luck in his new endeavors."

Deirdre looks forward to continuing the work of Bridge. "The opportunity to expand efforts to reduce the achievement gap by serving middle school students in an area with so much potential for growth is exciting. I am delighted to be joining Bridge at a time when it is poised to replicate its programs and its successes -- building on existing relationships, as well as creating new ones."