Today, we proudly welcome Ted Mitchell, a leading voice in higher education and former federal policymaker, as a director on the Coursera board. Ted currently serves as president of the American Council on Education (ACE), the country’s largest higher education association, whose mission is to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice.
Previously, Ted served as the U.S. undersecretary of education under President Obama, where he championed postsecondary education policy reforms and access to high-quality outcomes for all students.
Ted joins the Coursera board at an important time when the company is helping thousands of impacted colleges and universities around the world mitigate the disruption caused by the pandemic.
“The current crisis is going to transform higher education,” said Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera. “We’re fortunate to have someone of Ted’s stature and experience to help Coursera navigate through this highly dynamic period and help shape our strategies for the future.”
“It’s really exciting for me to join the board of a company that I’ve long admired for its mission and impact on the world,” said Ted. “Now more than ever, the higher education community and Coursera are bound by a common goal of serving the world with access to high-quality, affordable, and job-relevant learning.”
Before joining the Obama administration, Ted was CEO of the NewSchools Venture Fund, a national nonprofit that supports educators and entrepreneurs. Before that, he served as president of Occidental College, vice chancellor and dean of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA, and professor and chair of the Department of Education at Dartmouth College. Ted received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from Stanford University, where he also served as a member of the Board of Trustees.