Jonas is a nationally recognized creative strategist and chief executive officer with a demonstrated history of impact in the nonprofit and government sectors. He has dedicated his career to advancing social justice - and specifically moving leaders and organizations towards greater awareness, action, and impact. Jonas uses his executive and performing arts experience to provide coaching, meeting and retreat facilitation, and strategic thought-partnership on organizational growth and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Jonas is a founding partner of the Southern Equity Collective (SEq), a majority Black-owned, multi-racial consultancy helping companies, nonprofits, and individuals across the globe acknowledge and integrate anti-racism into their strategic operations and brands.
Jonas was the founding chief executive officer of Leading Educators, a key resource to school districts, charter networks, and policy makers in their efforts to maximize the leadership development and impact of highly effective teachers. Jonas oversaw the 70-employee organization’s operations, strategy, outreach, and growth, ultimately raising over $35M in philanthropic funding.
Prior to Leading Educators, Jonas served as Executive Director of the Charter Schools Institute of the State University of New York, the nation’s largest university-based charter school authorizer. Previously, he served as the founding president and CEO of the Charter School Policy Institute (CSPI) in Austin, Texas, and as executive director of Teach For America-Houston, Texas. Jonas began his career as a teacher with Teach For America in the Compton Unified School District.
Jonas holds a BA from Cornell University, MA from Chapman University, EdM from Harvard University, and earned his EdD in educational leadership at the University of Texas at Austin. He serves on the boards of Propeller, Inc. and Leading Educators.
An experienced performer and public speaker who uses personal stories and professional anecdotes to engage and inspire audiences, Jonas writes and presents on a variety of topics including public education, non-profit management, and racial equity development. He has been published in the New York Times, New York Post, The Washington Post, New York Daily News, Education Week, Hechinger Report, and other national media outlets. Jonas is also a professional actor and amateur musician, and he resides in New Orleans, LA, with his son.
