Richard Lee Colvin Named Executive Director of Education Sector
Respected journalist and education leader joins independent think tank committed to achieving measurable impact in education.
Washington D.C. — Richard Lee Colvin, a respected journalist and education leader, has been named executive director of Education Sector, an independent think tank located in Washington, D.C.
"Richard is the perfect person to lead Education Sector at this point in the organization's life," says Margaret (Macke) Raymond, who chairs the organization's governing board. "He has strong policy instincts. He is a great writer. He is a strong leader."
Colvin has headed the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at Teachers College, Columbia University, since 2003. Under his leadership, the Institute created The Hechinger Report, a source of in-depth, nonpartisan journalism about education. Previously, he wrote about national education issues for the Los Angeles Times, where he was a reporter and editor for 14 years. He also reported on education for the Oakland Tribune (CA) and the Hayward Daily Review (CA).
Colvin's education writings include chapters in a number of books and published reportage and commentary in the Carnegie Reporter, Chronicle of Higher Education, Education Next, Education Week, Los Angeles Times Magazine, The School Administrator, State Legislator, Washington Monthly, The Washington Post, and Ford Foundation Reports.
He holds a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Michigan. He was a media fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University and in 2000 won a Knight-Wallace fellowship for mid-career journalists at the University of Michigan. Colvin has participated in Education Sector panel discussions, is the author of Education Sector publications, and was an Education Sector nonresident senior fellow before joining the organization's board of directors in 2010.
"I've admired the work of the Education Sector team since its founding, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the organization as we extend our work into new areas and grow in reach and influence," Colvin says.
"This is an exciting time to be working in education policy. The next 10 years will bring greater international economic competition, and we as a nation must find ways to educate far more of our young people far better than we’ve done in the past. Education Sector will continue its leadership in this effort by bringing forth innovative solutions and presenting our policy proposals to policymakers."
Susan Fuhrman, president of Teachers College,Columbia University, added, "While we at TC are sorry to see Richard go, we are grateful for his nine years of dedicated leadership at the Hechinger Institute, and wish him well as he brings his passion for education policy to Education Sector."
Education Sector was founded in 2005. Co-founders Andrew J. Rotherham and Thomas Toch created a hybrid institution, formed at the intersection of public policy, research, and journalism. The organization's work includes both K–12 education and higher education. In the past year, Education Sector has issued reports on topics ranging from restructuring schools to student debt to teacher pensions.
Read Colvin's full biography, his personal statement, and Education Sector publications.
To set up interviews, or for additional press materials, please contact Kris Amundson, (202) 552-2849.
Education Sector is an independent think tank that challenges conventional thinking in education policy. We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to achieving measurable impact in education, both by improving existing reform initiatives and by developing new, innovative solutions to our nation's most pressing education problems. Our work continues to be supported by the nation's leading education foundations.
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