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Tim Knowles
Tim Knowles
01:37

Tim Knowles

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

San Diego, CA USA

"New life is formed at the boundaries. Find them."

Career Roadmap

Tim's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Teaching / Mentoring

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Day In The Life

President

I guide a foundation that innovates education by envisioning bold ideas and turning them into lasting change.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    African History and Anthropology

    Oberlin College

  • Graduate Degree

    Education

    Harvard Graduate School of Education

  • Doctorate

    Administration, Planning and Social Policy

    Harvard Graduate School of Education

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    I started my career teaching African history in Botswana, where learning extended far beyond the classroom.

  • 2.

    After witnessing apartheid firsthand, I saw education as a tool for liberation and lasting impact.

  • 3.

    Returning to the U.S., I helped launch Teach For America to address teacher shortages in underserved areas.

  • 4.

    I noticed how some teachers thrived while others struggled—and realized the school environment made all the difference.

  • 5.

    Driven to improve schools, I became a principal and started a new school in Brooklyn, New York.

  • 6.

    Over time, I built multiple organizations dedicated to transforming education and social systems.

  • 7.

    Now at the Carnegie Foundation, I lead efforts to rethink college, assessments, and the future of learning.