Michelle Francois Traiman Joins NCYL as New Director of Foster-Ed Initiative

Oakland, CA – The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) is pleased to announce the hiring of Michelle Francois Traiman as the new Director of FosterEd. She succeeds Jesse Hahnel, who founded the FosterEd initiative in 2009 and was recently appointed Executive Director of NCYL. Traiman will lead a team of 35 working to improve the education outcomes of youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems in four states.

Traiman brings more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit and philanthropy sectors, as well as substantial expertise in child welfare and education. Most recently, she served as the Associate Director of Child Welfare with the Stuart Foundation, where she led a major initiative to improve education outcomes for foster youth across California. She serves as a member of the  California Child Welfare Council and  the National Working Group on Foster Care and Education.

“Michelle has a deep understanding of the complex changes needed if students in foster care are to thrive in school,” said Hahnel. “We’re thrilled that she will lead FosterEd’s work.”

Traiman is a passionate advocate for youth who brings a personal experience with the child welfare system to the role. “I’m honored to bring a strong systems change orientation and an open heart to this assignment in order to shape lasting impact for youth, particularly those that have been most let down by their families and communities,” said Traiman.

Traiman joined NCYL on September first.