John Danielson
Board Member
About John Danielson
John Danielson is nationally and internationally respected as an executive who believed early in his 30-year career that the private sector, working closely with public entities, has an important role to play in the creation of improved education systems and technologies for all children. Along with former United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige, John co-founded the Chartwell Education Group, LLC in 2005, an international education-consulting firm initially headquartered in New York. Chartwell has successfully executed a variety of global education projects in Europe, China, India and South America with a particular expertise in Ukraine, Brazil, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan where John has worked extensively. In 2009 Chartwell was restructured into the Chartwell Hamilton Group, LLC; John serves as its Chairman and CEO.
From 1995 through 2001, John co-founded an education company serving the academic and behavioral needs of at-risk middle and high school students as a partner with many of the nation’s largest urban school systems. These innovative schools demonstrated substantial student academic growth, considerable reductions in district-wide crime rates, enjoyed endorsements from teachers’ unions as well as from Dr. Dorothy Height and the National Council for Negro Women.
John’s national education experience began when he served in several different senior roles for former United States Secretary of Education and current United States Senator Lamar Alexander (1990-1995), including as his national political director when Alexander ran for President in 1996. John was appointed Chief of Staff at the United States Department of Education by President George W. Bush in 2001 and earned a reputation for his ability to adapt innovative business strategies and tactics to resolve issues faced by the public education sector as well as playing a lead role in expanding the Department’s international profile. He later returned to help U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan by serving as a peer reviewer in all four of the landmark Race to the Top state and district competitions.
John is a native of Houston, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (BBA), is the father of three children and resides in Washington, DC.
Corporate Board Service:
- Alvarez and Marsal, Education Sector Advisory Group, 2021-present. Chairman. Washington, DC
- Teachers1on1, 2021-present. Member of the Board of Directors; Chairman of the Advisory Board. Los Angeles, CA.
- The University of the Potomac, 2010-present. Board of Directors. Washington, DC
- USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, 2016-present. Advisory Board. Los Angeles, CA
- Chancellor’s External Leadership Advisory Council for the California Community College System, 2018-present. Advisory Council. Sacramento, CA.
- StandardsWork, 2010-present. Board of Directors. Washington, DC.
- Afterschool Alliance, 2018-present. Board of Directors. Washington, DC.
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, USA. 2021-present. Chicago, IL.