Jeanne Allen has been on the front lines of education policy development and innovation for more than 30 years. She served for five years at the Department of Education during the Reagan Administration, where she was responsible for policy development and implementation in the areas of student financial aid, accreditation, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Following her government service, she served for six at the Heritage Foundation, where she developed the organizations education policy program and also launched Town Hall, one of the earliest online social networks. In 1993, she left Heritage to found the Center for Education Reform, which quickly became one of the most influential organizations in the education field dedicated to developing and promoting innovative reforms in schools throughout the nation. CER was an early advocate for school choice, and played an important role in the creation and development of the charter school movement. Twenty-three years after its founding, CER remains a leader in a wide variety of efforts to innovate and improve education at all levels, and across all learning venues. Jeanne is its CEO. Jeanne Allen’s success flows from her talents as an entrepreneurial spirit and devotion to innovation. Her entire career has been devoted to education reform, and she is nationally known and admired for her dedication to the nationwide fight to ensure that the bedrock of U.S. schooling is innovation, freedom and flexibility. When time permits, she enjoys visiting the village of her family’s origin in Campania, Italy, and spends time on the water, especially with her husband Dr. Kevin Strother.