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Sterling Partners’ Education Opportunity Fund Welcomes Ofa Stead to Leadership Team

Operating Partner joins to elevate culture and people strategies across investment and portfolio company activities

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sterling Partners’ Education Opportunity Fund (“EOF”), a fund focused on partnering with purpose-driven companies and leaders who foster impactful and long-lasting innovation within the education and training sectors, announced today it has appointed Ofa Stead to Operating Partner, Talent and Leadership. Stead, who joins EOF from within the Fund’s network, will work alongside the Fund’s investment team to identify entrepreneurs and executives for EOF’s portfolio to build and enhance human capital strategies.

“We have known Ofa for years and have a great admiration and respect for her positive impact on organizations,” said Shoshana Vernick, Managing Director of EOF. “Ofa has a rare ability to connect on a meaningful level with everyone she meets. She cares deeply about people and organizational culture. We are thrilled for her to join our team and know that her innovative thinking will not only make our companies better but will make us smarter investors, too.”

Stead joins EOF from EOF’s portfolio company Amerigo Education (“Amerigo”), where she served as Chief of People and Enterprise. At EOF, Stead’s focus will be on building stunning workplace cultures across the network through talent attraction and implementing modern human capital strategies.

Stead has over two decades of expertise and has spent her career overseeing HR functions, creating world-class global teams and thriving company cultures at organizations ranging from startups to financial institutions like HSBC to Fortune 500 companies like British Petroleum. Most recently at Amerigo, which provides an exclusive education model for international students from around the world at American high schools, Stead oversaw the company’s HR and talent needs, entry into new markets, and led the workplace project that won Crain’s coolest office.

“I can’t be cool about this – EOF is incredible and I’m beyond excited to join the team,” said Stead. “EOF combines values plus value to make a difference in people’s lives, which is so inspiring to me. As a member of the Sterling network the past few years, I have seen firsthand their commitment and aptitude for identifying organizations on the forefront of innovation and globalization within the education and training sectors. I love working at companies that can help redefine an industry by making a difference through people and Sterling is at the forefront of this innovation.”

About Sterling Partners Education Opportunity Fund: Sterling Partners is a diversified investment management firm. Its eighth private equity fund, the Education Opportunity Fund (“EOF”), was launched in partnership with Strada Education Network in April 2015. The Fund’s objective is to invest in purpose-driven companies and partner with high-performing leaders who are taking an innovative approach to transforming the education landscape. EOF targets opportunities where it can invest $10 million to $50 million of equity capital in growth-stage, technology-relevant businesses. For more information, visit www.educationfund.sterlingpartners.com.

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