Managing Partner at Emerson Collective, Former U.S. Secretary of Education (2009 - 2016)
Arne Duncan: Biography at a Glance
- Arne Duncan served as U.S. Secretary of Education from 2009 to 2016 under the Obama Administration, where he focused on educational reforms and policies.
- Prior to his role in the federal government, Duncan was the CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 2001 to 2008, where he successfully opened 100 new schools and enhanced educational programs.
- Duncan's leadership in Chicago earned praise for uniting stakeholders around initiatives that improved teacher quality and expanded after-school, summer learning, early childhood, and college access programs.
- He currently leads Chicago CRED, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing gun violence in Chicago by providing outreach, education, and employment opportunities for at-risk young men.
- Duncan is also the managing partner at Emerson Collective, an organization focused on removing barriers to human potential.
- Duncan brings unparalleled expertise in educational reform, leadership, and community impact, offering valuable insights for organizations seeking to inspire audiences to drive meaningful change.
Media
EmersonCollective.comEmerson Collective: A new way to think about conflict – and how we get out of itThe Nation: The Legacy of Arne Duncan, ‘A Hero in the Education Business’Empowering young people to end Chicago’s gun violence problemThe Atlantic: Arne Duncan: ‘Everyone Says They Value Education, But Their Action...What Obama’s Secretary of Education Thinks About Schooling Today
Videos
Biography
Arne Duncan served as U.S. Secretary of Education from January 2009 through January 2016 as part of the Obama Administration. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Duncan served as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools. From 2001 to 2008, Duncan won praise for uniting the city’s stakeholders behind an education agenda that included opening 100 new schools; expanding after-school, summer learning, early childhood, and college access programs; dramatically boosting the caliber of teachers; and building public-private partnerships around a variety of education initiatives.
He currently leads Chicago CRED, a nonprofit trying to achieve a transformative reduction in gun violence in Chicago. Through partnerships with local business leaders, community organizers, and nonprofit groups, Duncan aims to provide outreach, therapeutic, education, and employment opportunities for the young men most likely to be engaged in gun violence. He is also the managing partner at Emerson Collective, an organization dedicated to removing barriers so people can live to their full potential.
Secretary Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1987, majoring in sociology. At Harvard, he served as co-captain of the basketball team and was named a first team Academic All-American.
News
"Can Arne Duncan Save Chicago?"
"Arne Duncan: Giving Hope to Chicago's Youth Through CRED"
"What ails education? ‘An absence of vision, a failure of will and politics’"
"People are saying education reform hasn’t worked. Don’t believe them."
"Arne Duncan: We value our guns more than we value our children"
"Hiring returning citizens is good for business"
"Trump doesn’t want an educated workforce, Obama education secretary says"
Topics
How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Failure and Success From One of the Nation’s Longest-Serving Secretaries of Education
As former Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan provides a unique perspective on how schools work and where schools are letting children down. Arne shares how to fix America’s schools with an incredible firsthand look at successful, creative approaches, focus on the right data and strong advocacy for early childhood education. He believes that education should be the ultimate equalizer. No matter race, class or zip code, access to a great education is a national-security issue and an economic issue: the best-educated workforce keeps jobs in the U.S. and breaks cycles of poverty.
The Great Optimist
As Managing Partner of Emerson Collective, an organization dedicated to removing barriers to opportunity so people can live to their full potential, Arne Duncan leads Chicago CRED (Creating Real Economic Destiny). CRED aims to reduce the number of shootings and gun violence in Chicago. While many see dismal criminal and gun violence statistics, Arne is up close and personal with citizens living in the most violent, hopeless areas of the city. At CRED, he works with young adults and formerly incarcerated citizens to provide mentors, job opportunities, health services that can turn around individuals one-by-one, thus transforming a city. Above all, Arne speaks with incredible hope and optimism about the hard work, character and strength of the youth he encounters daily. Learn about the work they are doing in Chicago, and how they are learning from other cities around the nation to transform the economic hope of a city.
