Arne Duncan

Arne Duncan is an educator who served as the ninth U.S. Secretary of Education from 2009 to 2015 under President Barack Obama. Prior to his position under President Obama, Duncan was the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools from 2001 to 2008. He is also the founder of Create Real Economy Destiny (CRED), a non-profit aimed at reducing gun violence.

As CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Duncan won praise for uniting the city’s stakeholders behind an education agenda that included opening 100 new schools; expanding after-school, summer learning, early childhood, and college access programs; dramatically boosting the caliber of teachers; and building public-private partnerships around a variety of education initiatives.

In 2016, Duncan announced he would be joining the education group Emerson Collective as a managing partner. In this position, Duncan returned to Chicago on a mission to improve the lives of young adults in his hometown. Through partnerships with local business leaders, community organizers, and nonprofit groups, Duncan aimed to create job and life opportunities for disconnected youth between the ages of 17 and 24. In 2017, Duncan was appointed a distinguished senior fellow at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy.

Duncan released a book in 2018 titled "How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Failure and Success From One of the Nation's Longest-Serving Secretaries of Education," which detailed his work pushing forward the Common Core standard.

Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1987, majoring in sociology. At Harvard, he served as co-captain of the basketball team and was named a first-team Academic All-American. Before working in education, Duncan played professional basketball from 1988 to 1991, mostly in Australia. He participated in the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Games.

Duncan is married to Karen Duncan, and they have two children.