John White

I am honored to serve as CEO of Great Minds, a role I stepped into in 2025 after serving as Chief Success Officer since 2022 and, before that, as a member of the company’s board of directors. Prior to joining Great Minds, I served as Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, where I led efforts to unify the state’s fragmented early childhood system, modernize curriculum, improve teacher preparation, and overhaul state educational standards. During my tenure, Louisiana ranked in the top 10 states for improvement on each of the four main Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) tests. Louisiana remains today the most improved state in the nation in reading and mathematics. Prior to my time as state superintendent, I led the Louisiana Recovery School District, rebuilding the New Orleans public school system after Hurricane Katrina. I also served as Deputy Chancellor for the New York City Department of Education under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and as Executive Director of Teach For America – Chicago and Teach For America – New Jersey. I started my career as a high school English teacher in Jersey City, New Jersey. I am the co-founder of Watershed Advisors and Propel America and currently serve on the boards of Accelerate, New Schools for New Orleans, the Isidore Newman School, Teach For America, and the Boston-based training company QBS. I hold a bachelor’s degree with distinction from the University of Virginia, a master’s in public administration from New York University, and a doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins University. I live in New Orleans with my wife and our three children.