Dr. Margaret Fortune

President/CEO, Fortune School of Education

Dr. Margaret Fortune is a nationally recognized education leader, institution builder, and policy advocate whose work has helped reshape educational opportunity for Black children. For more than two decades, she has led efforts to improve outcomes for Black students through school innovation, educator preparation, and public policy.

As President/CEO of Fortune School of Education, Dr. Fortune leads a network of 13 preschools and TK–12 public charter schools serving nearly 2,000 students, as well as the Rex & Margaret Fortune School of Education, which prepares teachers and school leaders across California. Her schools have pioneered college-going models for Black students, including an early college high school where more than 40% of graduating seniors earn both a high school diploma and associate degree and 92% are admitted to four-year colleges and universities.

Dr. Fortune is Chair of the Black in School Coalition and a leading voice in California education policy. Her advocacy was instrumental in securing the Equity Multiplier, a $300 million ongoing investment in California’s highest-need public schools. She has advised two California governors, chaired the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and served as a Trustee of the California State University.

A graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Kennedy School, Dr. Fortune is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow and recipient of an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She was inducted into the National Charter School Hall of Fame for her leadership in reopening schools and serving families following the Camp Fire.

Dr. Fortune’s career is defined by a commitment to turning educational equity from an aspiration into measurable results—building institutions, influencing policy, and creating pathways to excellence for Black children.