SCHOOL BOARD PARTNERS ANNOUNCES ETHAN ASHLEY AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

School Board Partners transitions to a single-CEO model with a vision for expanded growth and impact on school boards nationwide.

New Orleans, LA — Today, School Board Partners (SBP) announced that Co-Founder and Co-CEO Ethan Ashley has been named the sole CEO of the organization. Ashley, who co-founded SBP alongside fellow school board member Carrie Douglass, takes on this leadership role amidst a critical moment for school board members across America. With 12,000 school board seats on the ballot this election cycle, and increasing threats to both democracy and public education, Ashley will focus on equipping school board members to defend public education and ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality education.

“As our country faces unprecedented challenges, I’m honored to lead SBP and ensure that we continue bringing bold, transformative solutions that will reshape school board governance,” said SBP CEO Ethan Ashley. “The initiatives we’re launching will not only address today’s needs but will set the stage for a future where school boards act as bridges—welcoming and scaling innovative policies, resource allocation, and programs that serve all students. We are committed to a world where school boards are enablers of progress, not barriers, creating environments where every decision is rooted in fairness, accountability, and opportunity.”

As SBP transitions from a Co-CEO model to a sole CEO, Ashley will prioritize organizational growth, self-sufficiency, and impact. In the coming months, the organization will launch a School Board Governance Certification Program with Colorado State University, announce the 7th cohort of its prestigious School Board Fellowship, release a follow up report to their groundbreaking Empty Seats report from 2022, and more. Through this work and under Ashley’s leadership, SBP seeks to empower 2,500 school board members over the next five years to champion antiracist, student-centered governance.

“This transition has been thoughtfully planned over the years as part of our mission to elevate extraordinary leaders of color who can drive our public education system toward a brighter, more equitable future,” said Co-Founder Carrie Douglass. “Ethan exemplifies the brave, principled, and transformative leadership that our nation needs. He understands what’s at stake for our children, our schools, and our democracy, and I am excited to see his vision for SBP come to life through our work, our members, and most critically, their impact on the future of public education.”

Douglass, Ashley’s Co-Founder and former Co-CEO, has been a central player in promoting and supporting this organizational change over the past two years, with an emphasis on centering the leadership of people of color generally and empowering Ashley specifically. As Ashley fully assumes the CEO role, Douglass will transition out of the organization and take on a new leadership role in the field of philanthropy. As a Co-Founder, Douglass leaves behind a legacy of authentic allyship, an unwavering commitment to SBP’s members, and a steadfast belief in pushing for equity-focused policy change in America’s public schools.

“As a Board, we will forever be grateful for Carrie’s leadership, her contributions, and the partnership she built with Ethan that allowed SBP to grow into the organization that it is today” said SBP Board of Directors Chair Gregory Hatcher. “At the same time, as we cheer Carrie on for her next professional endeavor, we are inspired by Ethan’s vision and energized by the opportunity to pass him the baton. We approved this change with a deep conviction that Ethan’s leadership, grounded in the foundation he built alongside Carrie, will enable SBP to step into our next phase of growth and impact.”

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School Board Partners is a nonprofit organization focused on transforming education in America by supporting, connecting and re-electing diverse, anti-racist school board members across the country to lead with courage, competence, and impact.