Earlier this month, we welcomed Rekha Bhatt (she/her) as FareStart’s Senior Vice President (SVP) of Programs. This is a critical role that drives the long-term vision of our job training and student support programs.
Rekha brings over 17 years of educational and nonprofit experience, most recently as Co-President of Innovative Schools at the Washington State Charter Schools Association, an advocacy and membership organization that has supported over 5,000 students to attend high-quality public schools across the state.
“It’s an honor to join FareStart and to lead and learn from others to champion a mission that centers equity, community care, and innovation to make social progress,” said Rekha. “Never has the obligation and opportunity to address economic, gender-based and racial disparities in our country been clearer.”
Over the course of Rekha’s career, she has built programs and organizations with the aim of increasing equitable opportunities for students and communities. As a high school teacher, she started the first AP English program at an underserved school in Philadelphia, where she saw firsthand the limitless potential of students when they are held to high expectations and given strong support. She served as a founding Director of Operations for a school in Brooklyn, and more recently, in Washington state, she led a fellowship for school designers and supported the launch of over twenty community-rooted public schools, in which Black, Latine, and low-income students are achieving at higher levels in math, reading, and science than their statewide peers.
“I’m delighted for Rekha to join FareStart. She brings the leadership and operational skills that will help us expand on-the-job training opportunities and deepen our impact,” said Patrick D’Amelio, CEO of FareStart. “She has led programs that ensure students are prepared for the workplace now and to come. As we continue to rebuild and grow in a post-pandemic environment, she will help ensure that we are providing the strong training opportunities our students need to obtain employment, gain stability, and increase upward economic mobility.”
As SVP of Programs, Rekha is responsible for creating and implementing a cohesive strategy that focuses on continuous improvement and expansion, as well as the daily management, supervision, and execution of FareStart’s training programs that are integrated into our social enterprise businesses. This year, over 300 adults and youth are expected to enroll in our job training programs.
In her free time, Rekha enjoys volunteering and serves on the board for the True Measure Collaborative, an organization focused on inclusive education for students with disabilities and on the board of the Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas, a youth arts organization. She lives in Sammamish with her husband and two daughters and loves exploring this beautiful state with her family.
