Joe Nathan has dedicated his 50+ year career to advocating for and empowering youth, families, educators, and community members, especially those representing underserved communities.  

He earned a BA from Carleton College and an MA and PhD from the University of Minnesota. 

He has served as a K-12 district public school teacher, project director at the National Governors Association, senior fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute, and newspaper columnist. 

In 1988, he founded and began serving as director of the Center for School Change (CSC), collaborating with educators, parents, businesspeople, students, policymakers, and other stakeholders across the United States to make significant, measurable differences in the lives of young people and adults. The Center for School Change earned more than $31 million from 1988 to 2014. Grantors included the U.S. and Minnesota Departments of Education, along with a number of foundations, including Bill and Melinda Gates, Annenberg, Bigelow, Blandin, Bradley, Bremer, Carlson, Cargill, Frey Family of Minnesota, General Mills, HealthPartners, Helzberg, Minneapolis, Morning, Peters, Pohlad, St Paul, Sundance, and Walton. 

The Center’s work continues today as Catalyst for Systems Change. Joe is Director Emeritus of the organization, which is now under the leadership of his colleague, Khalique Rogers. 

Stories about CSC’s work have been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. In addition, Joe has been asked by governors and legislators in 40 states, as well as five Congressional Committees, to testify on various education issues. 

His broadcast credits include guest appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, PBS NewsHour, plus more than 300 radio and TV news programs. 

Throughout his career, Joe’s guest columns have been published in many newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Atlanta Journal/Constitution, Sacramento Bee, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and Detroit News. He is currently a columnist for a number of suburban and rural Minnesota newspapers. 

As an advisor and contributor to SteveLear.org, Joe will use his deep knowledge of how educational systems really work to help SLO package ideas into practical applications that schools can implement.