Whiteboard Advisors today announced the addition of Dwight Jones as a Senior Advisor. Founded in 2009, Whiteboard Advisors is a unique, multidisciplinary firm focused on the intersection of education policy, practice, and technology. The firm’s clients span pre-K-12, higher education, and workforce development, including The Common App, DonorsChoose, ClassDojo, General Assembly, JFF, Handshake, and Code.org. It has also advised major philanthropic donors and investors, including Cognizant Foundation, KKR Global Impact, and The Carlyle Group.
“This is a team that brings deep insights and fresh thinking to the most impactful and innovative organizations in education. Their clients are addressing systemic inequities in K-12 schools, improving college access and outcomes, and broadening representation in the workforce,” said Jones. “Over the years, they have earned the trust of education leaders and entrepreneurs alike.”
Widely regarded as a friend and mentor to educational leaders, Dwight is among the small handful of educators who have led state departments of education, major urban school districts, and held senior roles within education’s private sector. For more than 20 years, his commitment and leadership have been recognized by the NAACP, AASA, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Nevada Latin Chamber of Commerce, and Troops to Teachers, among others.
Jones joins Whiteboard Advisors senior vice president Alison Griffin in the firm’s expanding Colorado office. Griffin, a higher education expert and two-time policy advisor to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce, serves as the chair of the board of trustees at Colorado Mesa University and on the board of directors for the Colorado League of Charter Schools.
“Dwight is an invaluable friend and mentor to our team who has been on the frontlines of public education during a period of unprecedented change,” said Anna Edwards, co-founder of Whiteboard Advisors. “We are inspired by Dwight’s inclusive, thoughtful leadership and know that his insights and perspectives will be valued by our team and clients for years to come.”
For more than a decade, Whiteboard Advisors’ market and policy research has helped to inform the perspectives of education donors, investors and executives. Last year, Whiteboard Advisors launched a subscription research offering which provides weekly updates on education funding and regulatory shifts. Whiteboard Advisors research and publications, including Education Insider, which surveys policy makers on education trends, and Whiteboard Notes, a weekly summary of education policy and market news, are read by thousands of education leaders each week.
Jones joins Whiteboard Advisors’ growing team of advisors, which includes: Anurima Bhargava, former Chief of the Educational Opportunities Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice; Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of Hispanic Heritage Foundation; former North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue; New York Times best-selling author Jeff Selingo; former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift; leading HR and talent analyst Josh Bersin; and Peter Cunningham, who served as Assistant Secretary of Education during the Obama Administration.
