About Us

The Education Design Lab (the Lab) is a national nonprofit that co-designs, prototypes, and tests education-to-workforce models through a human-centered design process focused on understanding learners’ experiences, addressing equity gaps in higher education, and connecting learners to economic mobility.

We are a diverse team that brings a critical mix of expertise in higher education, K-12, talent development, policy, and entrepreneurship. We are connected in our belief that designing models from the learner perspective can address equity and skills gaps in an incredibly dynamic world of work.

Executive Leadership

Our Team, Board, and Advisors bring cutting edge expertise across disciplines such as technology, pedagogy, student voice, edtech and design. The common thread is a belief that we are at a critical historical moment in redesigning the school-to-work pipeline. And that we can vastly improve access and outcomes.

Strategic Leadership Team

Listed in alphabetical order by first name.

Our Team

Listed in alphabetical order by first name.

The Lab's Designers in Residence program is co-creating the future roles of college.

Our Designers in Residence program brings together visionary higher education leaders to evolve and strengthen the role of colleges to be regional change agents to close economic and racial opportunity gaps.

Our Board

Our Board is made up of visionaries with proven track records in innovation, social impact, launching new models, often for serving historically under-represented groups. The Lab relies on their expertise to guide and grow our work.

 

 

 

Our Advisors

Our Funders

+ Ascendium Education Group
+ The Autodesk Foundation
+ Axim Collaborative, Inc.
+ Carnegie Corporation of New York
+ Caterpillar Foundation
+ Charles Koch Foundation
+ Citizens Bank
+ Coleridge Initiative
+ deLaski Family Foundation
+ Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation
+ ECMC Foundation

+ Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation
+ The Gates Foundation
+ Gianforte Family Foundation
+ Murdock Charitable Trust
+ Otto Bremer Trust
+ The SHRM Foundation
+ Strada Education Foundation
+ Walmart
+ Walton Family Foundation
+ Yield Giving

List updated in March 2025

Core Values

 

 

 

 

We are biased toward action.

We are learner-driven.

We believe education is the most important lever for economic mobility.

We believe economic mobility can break the cycle of poverty.

 

 

 

Careers + How to Get Involved

We are always looking for fellow travelers who believe we can build a more relevant, accessible, portable, and visible education system for learners. Join us in working on-the-ground to build an equitable future.

 

 

 

View All Opportunities

Stay connected. Join our Innovator Network.

 

 

 

 

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