Lee Pesky Learning Center names new executive director

Carly Flandro | 08/09/2024

The Lee Pesky Learning Center named Maureen O’Toole, a longtime Idaho education leader, as its new executive director this week.

O’Toole is a former public school teacher, military school administrator and leader of multiple educational organizations and nonprofits.

In an interview with EdNews, O’Toole said she was drawn to the center for its “holistic approach to working with children who have learning differences,” including supporting students’ academic, social and emotional needs.

“I want to take what we’re already doing and make it even more widely known so we can … have an even bigger impact,” she said.

Maureen O’Toole, LPLC’s new executive director. Photo: lplearningcenter.org

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Maureen’s experience and leadership leading the organization,” said Greg Pesky, LPLC’s board chair, in a press release. “She brings a deep passion to LPLC which will be instrumental in the Center delivering on its mission every day to provide successful pathways to learnings for early learners in the state of Idaho and beyond.”

O’Toole replaces Lindy Crawford, who announced in a social media post earlier this summer that she would be “semi-retiring.” “It has been my honor to serve in a leadership capacity for LPLC,” Crawford wrote. Crawford is now the part-time grants manager for LPLC.

Lindy Crawford, LPLC’s former executive director, is semi-retiring and taking on a part-time role. Photo: lplearningcenter.org

O’Toole has more than 20 years of educational experience, including serving as a vice president for Idaho Business for Education, founding the Idaho STEM Action Center and teaching Spanish at North Star Charter in Meridian. Most recently, O’Toole served as principal of The Sandbox Group, a business consulting team.

She also served in the U.S. Army, National Guard and Army Reserves for 26 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. While in the military, O’Toole’s roles included instructor, journalist, public affairs officer, training officer and unit commander.

LPLC is an educational nonprofit based out of Boise. The center opened in 1997 to work with individuals, families, schools and communities to understand and overcome learning obstacles. It provides a number of services for students, professional development and training for teachers, and research-based resources.

Carly Flandro

Carly Flandro reports from her hometown of Pocatello. Prior to joining EdNews, she taught English at Century High and was a reporter for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. She has won state and regional journalism awards, and her work has appeared in newspapers throughout the West. Flandro has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and Spanish from the University of Montana, and a master’s degree in English from Idaho State University. You can email her at [email protected] or call or text her at (208) 317-4287.