Philadelphia, February 2, 2010 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter has appointed five new members to the Board of Trustees of the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). Bart Blatstein, Willie Johnson, Chad Lassiter, State Rep. James Roebuck and Beatriz Vieria are the newest additions to CCP’s fifteen-member board and will attend their first Board meeting as trustees on Thursday.rnrn“The Community College of Philadelphia is a critical partner in achieving our education agenda and increasing our city’s college attainment rate,†said Mayor Nutter. “These individuals will help strengthen CCP’s ability to effectively serve the diverse communities of Philadelphia, provide our workforce with critical skills for the new global economy, and ensure that Philadelphia’s economy continues to grow and thrive.†rnrnBart Blatstein is the President of Tower Investments, Inc., a real estate development and management firm focused on transformational development in challenged neighborhoods in the Philadelphia region. A Temple University graduate, Blatstein is the Chairman of the Jewish Publishing Group and a Board Member of several educational institutions including Merion Mercy Academy, Waldron Academy, and St. Maria Goretti School.rnrnWillie Johnson is the Founder and Chairman of PRWT Services, Inc., one of the largest minority-owned business services firms in the nation. Johnson also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Cheyney University Foundation, The Girard College Foundation, and Allen University, as well as the Tribune Newspaper and U.S. Facilities, Inc. He received a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania.rnrnChad Lassiter, MSW, currently serves as an adjunct professor for the Graduate School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as the President of Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. He is also a behavioral interventionist and researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. After earning a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, Lassiter has worked as an educator, volunteer and social worker focused on public safety, and prisoner re-entry.rnrnThe Honorable James Roebuck, Jr. has served the citizens of Pennsylvania’s 188th Legislative District in the Commonwealth’s House of Representatives since 1985. Rep. Roebuck has been a vocal advocate for education during his career as a legislator, and he presently serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Education Committee. Rep. Roebuck is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. He received his doctorate from the University of Virginia.rnrnBeatriz Vieira is the Vice President for Philanthropic Services at The Philadelphia Foundation, a public charity community foundation that manages more than 800 charitable funds while maximizing the strategic impact of charitable contributions. Vieira earned a Master’s degree in Literature and Linguistics from Temple University, and serves on the Boards of numerous organizations working to address homelessness, domestic violence, women’s issues, advocate on behalf of the Latino community, and promote arts and culture in Philadelphia.rnrnThe Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in the city. Since 1965, over 500,000 students have earned associate’s degrees, certificates, and improved workplace skills. Many degree students transfer to four-year institutions while others seek employment in the Philadelphia region. Over 90 percent of the CCP’s graduates remain in the Greater Philadelphia region and seek employment, strengthening the local economy and workforce.