Jean-Claude Brizard

Jean-Claude Brizard is president and CEO of Digital Promise, a global, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on shaping the future of learning and advancing equitable education systems by bridging solutions across research, practice, and technology. Under his leadership, Digital Promise has remained a trusted partner to school districts across the United States and education leaders around the world, providing research-based guidance on everything from instructional innovation to technology implementation. The organization also works closely with industry partners in the U.S. and internationally, helping them design and refine products grounded in learning science that genuinely improve outcomes for students and educators.

He is former deputy director and senior advisor in U.S. Programs at the Gates Foundation. He led the U.S. Program’s PK-16 Community Investment Team in their effort to more deeply understand a student’s journey from preschool through completion of a post-secondary credential. Mr. Brizard also led the Washington State education strategy focused on closing the racial and economic opportunity gaps in Washington State’s educational system as well as support the growth and sustainability of the public charter schools’ sector in the state.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York honored him in the 2023 class of “Great Immigrants, Great Americans,” a prestigious honor celebrating naturalized citizens who have enriched and strengthened our society. He received the distinguished Aspen Institute 2024 John P. McNulty Prize for his work with Anseye Pou Ayiti. The award recognizes courageous leaders tackling critical issues, from environmental injustice and disaster recovery to addressing a national crisis of leadership and education.

Mr. Brizard was a partner at FourPoint Education Group (formerly Cross & Joftus, LLC) where he was focused on two practice areas—a unique collaborative structure that supported the work of many state departments of education and public school districts as they sought to turnaround chronically failing school systems as well as a practice area focused on education to career.

In 2013, Mr. Brizard served as advisor to the leadership of the College Board developing the organization’s career readiness initiative. This engagement culminated in a strategic plan for integrating career readiness into the College Board’s mission and a special supplement that was published as part of the 45th edition of the PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. He is the former chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. Prior to his appointment in Chicago, he was superintendent of schools for the Rochester City School District in New York.

Under Mr. Brizard’s leadership, both the Chicago Public Schools and the Rochester City School districts saw substantial improvements in student performance. He introduced a comprehensive change agenda across the Chicago Public Schools, including closing a significant budget gap of more than $1.3B over two fiscal years while preserving core reforms and investing in classrooms. He developed a new framework for teaching and the system saw record increases in student achievement, graduation rates and on college readiness benchmarks. Additionally, He created a blueprint for reform that will continue to serve as a roadmap for years to come.

Mr. Brizard’s experience also includes a 21-year career as an educator and administrator with the NYC Department of Education. He served as a regional superintendent, supervising more than 100 schools in the borough of Brooklyn and he also served as the system’s executive director for secondary schools.

Few leaders in American education can match the breadth and depth of Mr. Brizard’s experience across the education sector. His career spans public school systems, philanthropy, consulting, and governance—giving him rare insight into how education operates at every level, from classroom instruction to boardroom strategy. He has led large urban school districts serving hundreds of thousands of students, shaped national education policy through his work at the Gates Foundation, and guided the strategic direction of leading education companies and nonprofits.

Mr. Brizard serves as a national trustee of the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History. He served on the board of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, one of the nation’s largest K-12 educational content providers, where he played a key role in the company’s successful sale to Veritas Capital. He currently serves as a board advisor to BrainPOP/ KIRKBI A/S. He has held board leadership positions with TNTP and EL Education, two of the most influential organizations in educator talent development and curriculum design. He served as founding board chair of Anseye Pou Ayiti/Teach for Haiti, and as board chair of Transcend Education. This combination of for-profit and nonprofit board experience reflects his comprehensive understanding of how innovation, capital, and mission intersect to drive change in education.

Mr. Brizard is a Fellow of the Broad Center, a Fellow of the Pahara-Aspen Institute Education Fellowship, and a member of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network.

A commercial pilot, Mr. Brizard credits his parents—both of whom were educators—with inspiring him to pursue a career in education. He holds a master’s degree with honors in School Administration & Supervision, a master’s degree in Science Education, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the City University of New York/Queens College.