Joseph Olchefske

Leader. Educator. Entrepreneur. Investor.

Leader.

I have been a leader in the K12 educational community for over twenty-five years, holding significant executive positions in for-profit, non-profit and public sector educational institutions. The breadth of my professional experience across all sectors of the educational arena provides me with unique perspectives on the challenges facing educational institutions and the professionals who lead them.

  • Served as Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools District, a public school system with 47,000 students, 100 schools, 4,500 teachers and an annual operating budget of $435 million.

  • Founder and Managing Director of the School District Consulting Practice at the American Institutes of Research.

  • Mentor and leadership coach to many mid-career executives.

Educator.

I am passionate about the impact that school districts, schools and educators have on the lives of the students they serve. I am a fierce and unrelenting advocate for social equity and the power of educators to change institutions and dramatically improve educational outcomes for all students.

  • Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education, teaching classes on leadership, budgeting and entrepreneurship.

  • Academic Visitor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, teaching graduate-level sessions on school district leadership, educational finance and school choice/desegregation.

  • Speaker, writer and thought leader on a variety of education issues.

  • Holds a BA from the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree from Harvard University.

Entrepreneur.

I have faith in the power of market-based dynamics, entrepreneurial ideas and technological innovations to create the conditions in which educational change and reform can occur.

  • Served as CEO and/or President of four companies in the for-profit education marketplace: Springboard Education, Calvert Education, Educate Online and Mosaica Online.

  • Serves as advisor and board member to several education companies including Thought Café and Clymb.

Investor.

I am committed to investing in young and emerging leaders in the educational community to help them grow and develop into the leaders our schools need in the 21st century.

  • Partner at The Amalfi Fund, a family-based angel investing group.

  • Long-time Board Member of Gaco Western Corporation, resulting in a successful sale of the company to Firestone Building Products.

  • Began career as an investment banker at Piper Jaffray and co-founded the firm’s public finance office in Seattle.