Tim Knowles
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
San Diego, CA USA
"Look for the places between genres, between disciplines, those are opportunities. That’s where creation, invention, and inspiration is."
Career Roadmap
Tim's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
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 high school, college, and the future of learning.
