Peter Ross
Principal

Peter has deep expertise in education as a classroom teacher, manager of education initiatives, strategy consultant and organizational leader. He is adept at partnering with leaders to design equity-centered solutions that focus systems on the needs of students and educators. Peter has worked extensively with K12 and higher education leaders on designing and executing equitable strategies that create the coherence needed to support students through the education system and beyond. He is well-versed in the research base on education and adept at translating that research into policy and practice contexts. He has strong team and organizational leadership skills and the tools needed to partner with leaders in developing a strategic direction, setting impact targets, designing organizational structures and supporting implementation. Peter’s recent clients include the Los Angeles County Office of Education, National Public Education Support Fund, PBLWorks, The San Diego Foundation, Stuart Foundation, and multiple K12 and postsecondary funder collaboratives.

Before joining Education First, Peter helped launch and lead the Learning Policy Institute. Prior to that, Peter worked at The Bridgespan Group, and at Stanford University as the Director of the LEADS Network of eight urban school districts and project manager for the School Redesign Network. He also led an AmeriCorps literacy program supporting public schools in Oakland, CA; directed an international children’s camp in Freedom, ME; managed operations for a startup social entrepreneur firm in Palo Alto, CA; and taught elementary school in New York City, including as a founding teacher at a Coalition of Essential Schools’ member school.

Peter earned a B.A. from Stanford University, an M.A. in Curriculum and Teaching with a focus on Elementary Education from Teachers College Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University Graduate School of Education. He lives in Berkeley, California with his wife, two daughters and Pua (the family dog).