[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[July 24, 1992]
[Pages 1181-1182]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1181]]

Nominations to the National Institute Board for the National Institute 
for Literacy

July 24, 1992
    On the eve of the anniversary of his historic legislation for 
literacy, the President today announced his nominees for the National 
Institute Board for the National Institute for Literacy.
    The National Institute for Literacy is the centerpiece of the 
National Literacy Act, signed into law by the President on July 25 of 
last year. The Institute will catalyze the national effort to achieve 
full literacy by the year 2000 by providing a focal point for research, 
technical assistance, dissemination, policy analysis, and program 
evaluation in the field of literacy.
    The National Institute Board is being established to provide 
independent advice on the operation of the Institute, make 
recommendations concerning the appointment of the Director and staff, 
and receive reports from the interagency group of the Secretaries of 
Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, as well as from the 
Institute's Director.
    The President intends to nominate the following individuals for 
terms of 3 years:

        John Corcoran, of California. Currently Mr. Corcoran is the 
                founder and CEO of the Brehon Co., a commercial and 
                residential real estate building, development, and 
                investment firm. He also serves as a member of the board 
                of directors of the San Diego Literacy Council and leads 
                ``Students at Risk'' in-service workshops for 
                professional educators. Mr. Corcoran's story of 
                overcoming a 48-year literacy handicap has appeared on 
                ``Phil Donahue,'' ``Larry King Live,'' and ``20/20.''
        Helen B. Crouch, of New York. Currently Ms. Crouch serves as the 
                executive director and president of the Literacy 
                Volunteers of America, Inc. (LVA). Ms. Crouch began her 
                work with LVA as a volunteer tutor in 1969. Since that 
                time she has served on the national board of directors 
                and as chairperson until her appointment as president in 
                1981. Ms. Crouch is the past chairperson and founder of 
                the National Coalition for Literacy.
        Sharon Darling, of Kentucky. Ms. Darling is the current 
                president of the National Center for Family Literacy, 
                Inc. Ms. Darling served as the executive director of 
                Literacy Concepts, Inc., in 1987-88 where she served as 
                a consultant to the National Governors' Association and 
                the U.S. Department of Education. As director of the 
                division of adult community education for the Kentucky 
                Department of Education from 1984 to 1987, Ms. Darling 
                directed the adult literacy, community education, and 
                GED programs for the State.
        Jon Deveaux, of New York. Currently Mr. Deveaux serves as the 
                executive director of the Bronx Educational Services 
                (BES) which he founded in 1973. In 1990 a BES National 
                Training Center for Literacy Teachers was established. 
                Mr. Deveaux and the staff have trained hundreds of 
                literacy teachers from around the Nation. Mr. Deveaux 
                served as the chairperson of the New York State Literacy 
                Council from 1988 to 1990.
        Gov. Jim Edgar, of Illinois. Jim Edgar was inaugurated as the 
                38th Governor of Illinois in 1991. Prior to his 
                election, Governor Edgar served as the secretary of 
                state from 1981 to 1990. As secretary of state and State 
                librarian, Governor Edgar created and oversaw a strong 
                statewide network of programs and support for literacy. 
                Governor Edgar's adult literacy program became a model 
                for the Nation, and he was presented a literacy award by 
                the American Library Trustee Association in 1986, given 
                annually to an individual who has made an outstanding 
                contribution in addressing the problem of adult 
                illiteracy.
        Badi G. Foster, of Illinois. Mr. Foster currently serves as vice 
                president of targeted selection and development for 
                Aetna Life and Casualty Corp. He is the former president 
                of the Aetna Institute for Corporate Education since its 
                inception in 1981. Prior to his work with Aetna, Mr. 
                Foster was the director of field experience programs for 
                the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.
        Ronald M. Gillum, of Michigan. Dr. Gillum is the State director 
                of adult extended learning services for the Michigan 
                Department of Education. Dr. Gillum has been with the 
                Michigan Department of Education for 19 years, during 
                which time he served as the director of the adult 
                occupational educational programs. Dr. Gillum was the 
                recipient of the U.S. Department of Education's 
                Outstanding Leadership Award in Literacy in 1985.
        Benita C. Somerfield, of New York. Ms. Somer-

[[Page 1182]]

                field currently serves as the president of Simon & 
                Schuster Workplace Resources which publishes material 
                for low-literate adults in public and private sector 
                job-related programs. Since 1988 she has also served as 
                executive director (volunteer) of the Barbara Bush 
                Foundation for Family Literacy. From 1986 to 1988 Ms. 
                Somerfield was Special Adviser for Adult Literacy at the 
                U.S. Department of Education.
        Susan Vogel, of Illinois. Currently Dr. Vogel is chair and 
                professor of the department of educational psychology, 
                counseling, and special education at Northern Illinois 
                University. From 1988 to 1989, Dr. Vogel served as the 
                director of research for the National Institute of 
                Dyslexia, following which she was the head of the 
                department of special education at Eastern Michigan 
                University. Dr. Vogel received a Ph.D. in learning 
                disabilities and communicative disorders from 
                Northwestern University.