John White

John White was named CEO of Great Minds in 2025. He previously served as the Louisiana State Superintendent of Education and led the Louisiana Recovery District, rebuilding the New Orleans public school system after Hurricane Katrina. Before that, John was Deputy Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education. John is co-founder of Watershed Advisors and Propel America. He serves on the boards of Accelerate, New Schools for New Orleans, the Isidore Newman School, Teach For America, Teachstone, and Boston-based training company QBS. He started his career as a high school English teacher in Jersey City, New Jersey. John earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in public administration from New York University, and a doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins University. He lives in New Orleans with his wife and three children.