Joe Schaefer

To me, innovation means change—and not just incremental change. When something is truly innovative, it completely changes the way we interact with technologies we utilized before. At Strategic Education – one of the largest education companies – I oversee a portfolio of innovative tech-based programs in Education Technology Services – our fastest-growing business segment – designed to help working students increase their economic mobility. We develop and maintain relationships with leading employers to build education benefits programs, providing their employees with access to affordable and industry-relevant certificate and degree programs. Our portfolio includes Sophia Learning, our subscription-based, direct-to-consumer portal for general education courses; SaaS-based education management platform Workforce Edge; and Employer Partnerships, overseeing corporate partnerships with our universities. In my previous roles, I served as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Transformation Officer for Strategic Education, Inc. and its various higher ed brands, including Capella University and Strayer University which primarily serve working, adult students. There, I managed IT, analytics, and innovation, including breakthrough advances in scaling learning and implementation of various AI initiatives in the classroom and student support. I have held various leadership positions at Accenture and currently serve as the Vice Chair for the Board of Trustees at Strayer University. Being a father to three incredible children keeps my hands full outside of work.