Jamie Merisotis

Jamie Merisotis is president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States whose mission is to increase the proportion of Americans with degrees, certificates and other high-quality credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Merisotis leads the Foundation's $1.3 billion endowment. He is the author of America Needs Talent, published in September 2015 by RosettaBooks.

Prior to joining Lumina Foundation as president and CEO in 2008, Merisotis was founding president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, an education research and policy center. He was also the executive director of the National Commission on Responsibilities for Financing Postsecondary Education, a bipartisan commission appointed by the U.S. president and congressional leaders to address college affordability. Merisotis also helped create the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), serving as an adviser to senior management on issues related to the quality and effectiveness of national service initiatives. Merisotis served on the leadership council of The Aspen Institute’s Franklin Project on national service.

Merisotis is a frequent source and commentator on issues related to higher education. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, National Journal, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Washington Monthly, Huffington Post, Politico Roll Call and other publications.

Merisotis holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he now serves on the college’s board of trustees. He is a member of the Council on Foundations in Washington, DC, serves as vice chairman and investment committee chair for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the world’s largest museum for children, and is a member of the board of directors for the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership.

Internationally, Jamie is a member of the board of directors of Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, Greece, a bicultural institution that includes a college, a high school, and an elementary school. He is special adviser to the executive committee of the London-based European Access Network. His work includes extensive global experience as an adviser and consultant in southern Africa, the former Soviet Union, Europe and other parts of the world. Merisotis is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Merisotis lives with his wife, Colleen O’Brien, and their children, Benjamin and Elizabeth, in Indianapolis.

Merisotis has received awards and honorary degrees from several colleges and universities, including Excelsior College, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Miami Dade College and Western Governors University.

In 2003, he received the Distinguished Young Alumni Award from Bates College; in 2001, he was recognized with the Community College Government Relations Award presented by the American Association of Community Colleges and the Association of Community College Trustees.

Merisotis was a 2005 finalist for the Brock International Prize in Education, and in 1998 he was named by Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning as one of the emerging young leaders (under the age of 45) in American higher education.