Decision Education Foundation:  A Good Bet for Today’s Kids, says Annie Duke, Professional Poker Champion and New DEF Board Member

DEF to Host ‘An Evening with Annie Duke’ on October 27

Press Contact:

The Decision Education Foundation
Betty Skov
betty@decisioneducation.org
650-704-6641

Annie Duke
5W Public Relations
Danika Berry/Roxanne Romero
dberry@5wpr.com / rromero@5wpr.com
323-556-7077

Palo Alto, Calif. – October 8, 2007 – With a passion for quality education and a deep understanding of how good decisions help in gaining a competitive edge, Annie Duke, well-known professional poker champion and author, has joined the Decision Education Foundation (DEF) Board of Directors.

To welcome their new board member and celebrate DEF highlights of 2007, the foundation will host a benefit, “An Evening with Annie Duke,” on Saturday, October 27, at the Palo Alto Sheraton Hotel. Those interested in meeting Annie and learning more about the foundation — and why a famous poker player is supporting its mission — are encouraged to attend. For more information and to order tickets, visit the DEF Web site at www.decisioneducation.org/news.asp.

During the event, Annie will discuss her life as a winning player and how she uses decision skills both in her profession and in her personal life.
“How we make decisions shapes the quality of our lives,” says Annie. “I know that if I didn’t understand what makes a good decision, I wouldn’t be a success at what I do. And for kids, who are making decisions that will significantly impact their safety, their health and their future, it is a critical skill — and a huge gap in their education.”

Already the foundation, in collaboration with several partner schools, has created a number of programs that incorporate decision skills as part of studies in literature, math and other mainstream academic subjects. To supplement the classroom programs, DEF is researching settings such as poker tournaments and other strategy games, sports and outdoor activities, and tie-ins with popular films as motivational and fun ways to introduce young people to the decision making process.

Pre-Event Press Briefing:  Prior to the event, Annie will hold an informal press briefing from 5:30 P.M. – 6:15 P.M. Members of the media interested in attending should contact Nicole Nokes (nicole@decisioneducation.org) to register. Those participating in the briefing are also welcome to stay as guests of DEF for the main presentation.

About Annie Duke:  Annie Duke is known as the world’s most successful female poker player and is a well-established entrepreneur, author and producer. She does it all while being a full-time mom. In 2005, Duke wrote her first book, How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions, and released a series of poker DVDs. She is currently writing her second book and has founded her own production company, Ten Dimes Productions, with Actor Joe Reitman. Annie is also involved in various charitable organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ante Up for Africa (a project with Actor Don Cheadle), Children’s Hospital and many others.

About DEF:  The Decision Education Foundation (DEF) was founded in 2001 to promote, enable and support the development of good decision skills by today’s youth. The foundation develops classroom-ready materials and works with select schools and youth organizations, training teachers interested in making decision education a part of their curricula. For more information on DEF, visit the foundation’s Web site at www.decisioneducation.org.