Carol Ott takes PPIE post Carol Ott takes PPIE post (July 02, 2004)

Former recruiter to lead school nonprofit
by Jeb Bing

Carol Ott, a longtime Pleasanton resident and business recruiting professional, has been named executive director of the Pleasanton Partnerships in Education (PPIE) Foundation. She succeeds Leslie Coonan, a local Realtor, who plans to resume full-time work in real estate.

Ott moved to Pleasanton in 1985 and has 12 years of experience as a professional and executive recruiter, including the last nine years with Robert Half International's "Office Team" group. In that position, she worked with companies to determine their staffing and management needs, and then searched for candidates with those qualifications.

She joined the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce in 1994 and is now on that organization's executive board for membership and education. She also serves on the Pleasanton Leadership board of directors, and is a director of Pleasanton North Rotary Club.

As executive director of PPIE, Ott will have responsibility for the leading nonprofit agency that serves more than 14,000 Pleasanton students and 900 teachers and administrators, an organization that has awarded more than half a million dollars in various types of education grants. These funds come from corporate contributions and individuals as well as fundraisers.

PPIE also organizes hundreds of hours of classroom presentations and demonstrations by local business leaders, sets up the annual "Principal for a Day" program for community leaders, established annual teacher excellence awards and launched the city-wide Science Fair for elementary students.

"Since being tapped for this position, I've had a chance to visit with principals and some of the teachers at every school in Pleasanton," Ott said. "I've found the diversity and opportunities in our schools to be absolutely fascinating, with incredible programs and also challenges where PPIE can offer strong support."

PPIE was the brainchild of former Pleasanton school superintendent Bill James, who in 1985 encouraged the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce to take over the work of the old Corporate Volunteer Council. In 1987, the PPIE was organized as an independent nonprofit group, community-based with the purpose of enhancing the learning experience of students through a partnership of business, education and the community.

Coonan has served as interim and later executive director of the organization since 1999. She and her husband are independent Realtors with Prudential California Realty.

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