Tony Habit, North Carolina New Schools President

As its founding president, Tony Habit developed the NC New Schools Project to become a $60 million private-public venture to transform secondary education in North Carolina. He is an experienced leader for the development of school reform and innovation strategies with government, higher education, and the private sector. Tony partnered with Office of the Governor, the State Board of Education, colleges and universities and others to create the largest network of early college high schools in the nation. Under Tony’s leadership, North Carolina’s early colleges were named by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as an “Innovation in American Government” award recipient. Tony regularly presents to governmental committees and commissions at the state and federal levels including presentations to the United States Senate HELP committee. He has traveled extensively to learn about school innovation in other countries. In 2000 he was named an Eisenhower Fellow to travel to Australia and New Zealand to study market competition and school quality and the use of technology to enhance teaching. He serves on boards and advisory committees for several organizations including the National High School Center, North Carolina eLearning Commission, World View and the Joining Our Businesses and Schools (JOBS) Commission. Tony earned a doctorate in educational administration from Columbia University, Teachers College in New York. He began his career as a counselor for special needs students in middle and high schools.