Daniel Jackson

Chief Financial Officer & Chief Administrative Officer, Strategic Education

Search every verified Daniel Jackson interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2019 TEDxRaleigh talk, Daniel Jackson, then a high school educator and former corporate marketer, discussed his transition from business to teaching and advocated for experiential, hands-on learning. Jackson stated that after the September 11 attacks, he and his wife moved up his plan to leave the corporate world for education, and he has since focused on helping students learn to think and thrive after high school. He cited a 2016 Gallup poll indicating that 96% of universities believed they were preparing graduates for workplace success, while only 11% of employers agreed that graduates had the necessary competencies. Jackson argued that the education system has stifled skills like collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity, which he called "21st century skills." He noted that Career and Technical Education (CTE) students have a national graduation rate of 93%, compared to just over 80% for non-CTE students. Jackson called for partnerships between schools and industry, and for encouraging students to take rigorous courses taught by passionate instructors, concluding that "hands-on learning turns minds on."