Jonathan Furr joined Strada in June 2023 as senior vice president and its first chief data ecosystem officer. As chief data ecosystem officer, Furr will lead initiatives focused on ensuring that students, educators, policymakers, employers, economic development leaders, and others have access to the data and insights they need to make informed choices about postsecondary education and training programs and continuously improve those programs as part of equitable pathways to opportunity. Before joining Strada, Furr founded and led Education Systems Center, or EdSystems, at Northern Illinois University as a mission-driven policy development and program implementation unit based within the university’s Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development. He previously provided consulting and legal counsel to a variety of national policy organizations and education technology companies focused on improved collection and use of integrated data. Furr has also worked as a partner in the public policy and education practice of law firm Holland & Knight, LLP, and served as the general counsel for the Illinois State Board of Education as well as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.