Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing to announce that I will be retiring from my position as Vice President for Education at Asia Society and Director of the Center for Global Education as of August 31, 2021. After 18 years of working with an incredibly talented and compassionate team of professionals at one of the world’s truly unique institutions, it’s time to set a new path.

Asia Society has enabled me to pursue my lifelong passions for equity and innovation in education. I’ve had the extraordinary opportunity to design and develop the International Studies Schools Network, an expert community of educators who continue, now under the auspices of Community Catalyst Partners, to educate children for success in today’s global environment. The development of another ongoing leadership community, the Global Cities Education Network, has been equally gratifying as a means to enable the world’s education leaders to learn from and with each other. Most recently, I’m thankful for the opportunity to expand and deepen our commitment to equality through our Education for Equity Initiative: Teaching Truth to Power which gives voice to the trauma of discrimination and provides resources to fight against institutionalized racism in the US and globally.  

I’ve also been pleased to lead our work in defining global competence and describing its practice, especially in the book Educating for Global Competence: Preparing Our Youth to Engage the World, co-authored with Veronica Boix Mansilla. This work has served as a major influence on OECD and other world organizations seeking to promote global competence in schools worldwide. A second edition of the book will be published by ASCD next year.

Along the way, Asia Society has given me opportunities to engage the world in ways I could never have dreamed of, perhaps to develop some of my own global competence, but certainly to deepen my appreciation of the incredible humanity that exists across the global landscape.
 
The list of people at Asia Society without whom I would never have achieved whatever success I can claim is truly too long to note. But I must mention a few, namely Shari Albright, Neelam Chowdhary, Linda Driscoll, Jessica Kehayes, Kate Kemeklis, Michael Levine, Chris Livaccari, Alexis Menten, Heather Singmaster, Vivien Stewart, Lisa Tyrrell, and Brandon Wiley. I count myself blessed to have people like these, and so many others at Asia Society, as colleagues, mentors, and friends. 

Going forward, Neelam Chowdhary will assume the position of Acting Vice President for Education. Neelam has been with the Asia Society for a decade and was previously Vice President of Programs at the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). She is an expert in global learning resource development, has a doctorate from Columbia University’s Teachers College, and has earned certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Neelam has had major roles in the success of the ISSN, the Partnership for Global Learning, and is the driving force behind the Education for Equity initiative. I could not be more pleased that Neelam is stepping into the leadership role. The Center for Global Education is indeed in good hands.  

As for me, I look forward to consulting and volunteer activity with organizations that share my passion for equality through education and civic engagement. I am particularly looking forward to working closely with Community Catalyst Partners to support the strengthening and expansion of the ISSN. So perhaps “semi-retirement” is a better way to put it, but with ample time for long walks, baseball, stargazing, and jazz. Hope to see you along the way!

Tony Jackson
Vice President, Education
Director, Center for Global Education at Asia Society