Tom DeJardin - Executive Director

Tom has served as Executive Director of The 21st Century Schoolhouse non-profit organization since 1998. He has more than 15 years of professional communications experience in the public and private sectors. His strengths include public relations, media relations, fundraising, employee communications and training, writing, editing, marketing, and special events management.

Early in his career, Tom was a reporter in the New York City office of Interlink, an international press service. He later became Employee Communications Manager for Nordstrom, Inc., the United States' largest fashion specialty retailer. From 1989 through 1991, he served as a Communications Consultant for William M. Mercer, Inc., the world's largest employee benefits and human resources consulting firm.

From 1992 through early 2000, Tom was the Communications Coordinator for Salem-Keizer Public Schools, the second largest school district in Oregon. His responsibilities there included internal and external communications for the district's 33,000 students and 4,000 employees.

Tom recently accepted the position of Executive Director of the Community Schoolhouse, an alternative public high school opening in Salem, Oregon in September 2000.