John Gomperts

John Gomperts is one of America’s foremost advocates for youth development with a long career spanning both government and the nonprofit sector. He is a staunch believer that all young people deserve a chance to lead successful, productive lives. As president and chief executive officer of America’s Promise Alliance, a coalition of over 350 nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations working together to boost high-school graduation rates and improve the futures of young people. Before taking the helm of the alliance, he led AmeriCorps, the national-service program that encourages young adults to volunteer. From 2006 to 2010, John was president of Civic Ventures, a think tank that connects older people to public-service roles. No stranger to politics, John was legislative director for Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania and deputy director of the Senate Democratic Leadership Committee. He earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in history from the University of California at Berkeley. He is married to Katherine J. Klein, a professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and they have two daughters, Nora and Lily. Read the announcement of John joining Education Post’s Advisory Network.

Posts By John Gomperts

student achievement

3 Rules for Transforming School Districts That I Learned Here in D.C.

D.C. is worth a long look if you want to make change in urban education. I have witnessed—and was fortunate enough to play a role in—the dramatic transformation of the public school system in our...

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Poverty

5 Reasons I’m Optimistic About the Class of 2020

I don’t have teenage kids any more, but I do have a special interest in the nearly 4 million kids who are just starting high school right now. Back in 2010, the GradNation campaign set a goal of 90...

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