Abner Oakes

Abner Oakes strives to create schools that change students’ lives. At ISA he directs outreach and business development activities and works on the organization’s equity-focused efforts in schools and districts. Previously, he was at the Alliance for Excellent Education, focused on improving outcomes for historically underserved students. He also worked at the educational technology company JumpRope, the Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, and the professional development provider Modern Red SchoolHouse. He spent eight years working with Winner (SD) School District, helping the district improve outcomes for its Native American students. He started his career teaching middle and high school students. “ISA is an organization focused on equity, on improved outcomes for all students,” states Abner, “and it’s exactly the kind of work I left the classroom to do, more than 20 years ago.” After earning a BA at Dartmouth College, he got his MA at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.