UNITE-LA

A nonprofit corporation that is the second largest School-to-Career Partnership in the nation serving over 800,000 youth and students in the greater Los Angeles area.  Established in 1998 through a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

President & Executive Director

Led and convened working group for two years resulting in the 2010 signing of the L.A. Compact by 18 major L.A. institutions, and launched the first initiative of that agreement, the Los Angeles School Development Institute, which guided five teams on their Public School Choice plans selected for implementation at their schools by the LAUSD Superintendent. Secures over $1 million in private donations annually to support direct services to youth through California Cash for College, College & Career Success Schools, Groundhog Job Shadow, and other programs emphasizing the Linked Learning approach. Successfully incorporated the STC Partnership as a California nonprofit corporation in 2003 (Fed ID 82-0576380).

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Education & Workforce Development Division

Founded in 1888, the Chamber champions economic prosperity in Los Angeles County, and has a significant history of and commitment to working to improve local education systems.  In 2004, established an Education & Workforce Development Division to lead key initiatives focused on improving student success in P-16 education.

Senior Vice President

Leads the largest group of staff and consultants committed to education and workforce development issues of any chamber of commerce or business organization in the U.S., a human resource capacity supporting robust advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal levels that strengthen the strategic alliance between Chamber members and its education and industry partners who support PreK-16 reform, pre-college access, and career pathway development. Led strong growth of regional college access events that serve 20,000 annually and workforce development programs that result in jobs for 15,000 youth annually.

Vice President (1/04 to 12/09)

Integrated the operational functions of UNITE-LA, a nonprofit corporation, into the Chamber's Education & Workforce Development Division in 2004, increasing the capacity of each organization to work effectively and collaboratively with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) on advocacy for significant, system-wide education reforms, including converting all comprehensive public high schools into small schools and small learning communities. In 2007, established a joint office between the Chamber, UNITE-LA and LAUSD that initiated business-education partnerships for more than 400 career-themed small learning communities.

Rykoff-Sexton Corporation

Rattray previously worked in the foodservice industry for more than 25 years.  Before leaving the private sector to lead UNITE-LA, Rattray worked for the Rykoff-Sexton Corporation, the third largest foodservice distribution company in the U.S. with 1996 sales of $3.6 billion.

Executive Vice President, Los Angeles Division

Key leader in driving Los Angeles Division to record profit year (FY 97), exceeding pretax profit budget of $12 million and sales of over $325 million while stabilizing division after a facility move.  Launched and developed produce and protein programs, establishing local partnership.

Regional Vice President – West, Distribution Division

Led region of 10 divisions, 1200 associates, and $430 million in sales in Western US, Hawaii, and Southeast Asia with total P&L responsibility.  Increased the pretax profit of the region from $4.0 million (FY 93) to $6.2 million (FY 94), and $9.6 million (FY 95).

David Rattray

President & Executive Director

BOARD MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Adopt-A-School, Partnership Board

California Cash for College, Statewide Advisory Committee, Co-Chair (2002 to present)

California Preschool, Business Advisory Council

California Restaurant Association, Education Foundation

California State Youth Council

CalSCAN, Co-Chair

Council on Immigrant Integration

Intermediary Network, Leadership Committee

Junior Achievement of Southern California

Linked Learning Alliance, Policy Development Working Group, Co-Chair

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Education & Workforce Development Committee of the Board of Directors

Los Angeles Compact, Convener

Los Angeles Unified School District, Small Learning Community Central Committee, Co-Chair

Private Industry Council, City of Los Angeles (1997)

Regional Economic Association Leaders of California Coalition (REAL Coalition), Education & Workforce Development Committee, Chair (2007 to present)

State Chancellor’s Committee for Cooperative Education, Chair

State Educational Master Planning Working Group, Co-Chair

The Valley Economic Alliance

U.S. Chamber Education, Employment and Training Committee

United Teachers-Los Angeles, Small Learning Community Working Group

United Way, Community Impact Cabinet

Workforce Investment Board, City of Los Angeles (1998 to present)

Youth Council, Workforce Investment Board, City of Los Angeles, (1998 to present)

ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS

“Theme-Based, Small Learning Communities Increase Academic Achievement, Workforce Resiliency, and Lifelong Success for Students in a “Flat World,” an essay published in the book, Beyond Tracking, that examines thematic learning as a potential structure to deliver multiple pathways (now known as Linked Learning). Oakes, Jeannie & Saunders, Marisa. (2008). Beyond Tracking: Multiple Pathways to College, Career, and Civic Participation. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Education Press.

EDUCATION

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Master of Business Administration, 1981

University of California, Irvine

Bachelor of Arts, Social Science, 1978