NCAE has hired J. Scott Anderson as its new executive director. He will begin officially on March 1, 2009. Since 2005, Anderson has been an organizational specialist for the National Education Association (NEA), NCAE’s parent organization.

During his tenure at NEA, Anderson worked with the Ohio Education Association, the Florida Education Association and the Virginia Education Association on various projects including membership recruitment and retention, organizational capacity and coalition building, strategic program development and implementation, and political organizing.

Here in North Carolina, he served as special advisor for Policy and Communications to Governor Mike Easley in 2004-05, providing strategic counsel on a wide array of issues with a specific focus on education policy. In this position he acted as a liaison between the governor, State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction and acted as lead staff on a variety of programs including the creation of the governor’s Learn and Earn early college high school initiative.

Anderson also brings several years experience as a political consultant, including serving in senior staff or management positions for two presidential campaigns, one gubernatorial campaign, and one race for Commissioner of Education.

“Scott Anderson brings a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm and experience with him that we believe will benefit NCAE right now,” NCAE President Sheri Strickland said. “He is a strategic thinker as well as someone who works hard, is innovative and is very committed to educational issues.”

Anderson holds a B.S. in political science from Florida Southern College. He is married with two children and resides in Cary, NC.