Eleventh Cohort of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows Announced by The Hunt Institute

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Contact: Jonathan Ortiz

jortiz@hunt-institute.org | (984) 256-8548

Cary, NC. – The Hunt Institute is pleased to announce the members of its eleventh cohort of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows program. This innovative program aims to provide a bipartisan group of senior, state-level policymakers from across the country with the resources, space, and expertise needed to develop smart and effective education agendas.  

The launch of the eleventh cohort in The Hunt Institute’s Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows program adds 32 senior-level elected officials to its ranks, bringing the total to 256, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with eight sitting governors having participated in the program: Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas, Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Governor Brad Little of Idaho, Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi, and Governor Spencer Cox of Utah and three governor-elects: Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe of Missouri, Governor-Elect Josh Stein of North Carolina, and Governor-Elect Bob Ferguson of Washington.  

“When it comes to bolstering our society and economy, the most important investment we can make is in education,” said Governor Tom Kean. “I am thrilled to see another cohort of passionate, committed senior-level leaders entering this program and look forward to seeing how their participation allows them to grow as audacious champions of education in their home states and across the nation.” 

By investing in America’s political leaders, we are building informed and motivated educational change agents with the necessary influence to reform state education systems and improve outcomes. The bipartisan Fellows program: 

• Exposes Fellows to the most up-to-date research and analysis on innovative and successful education policies and practices 

• Provides an environment that welcomes distinct views in order to foster debate on multifaceted education issues 

• Introduces Fellows to other leaders directing successful reform efforts across the nation

“I’m honored to welcome Cohort 11 of our Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows, and excited to see how this group learns from and builds upon the legacy of Governors Hunt and Kean,” said Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, President & CEO of The Hunt Institute. “Having elected leaders come together, find common ground, and jointly identify education as a bipartisan issue is necessary to keeping our education systems moving forward.” 

The 2024 – 2025 Cohort 11 Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows are: 

• The Honorable Adrian Fontes, Secretary of State | Arizona 

• The Honorable Al Muratsuchi, Assemblymember | California  

• The Honorable Stephanie Thomas, Secretary of State | Connecticut  

• The Honorable Sherae’a Moore, State Representative | Delaware  

• The Honorable Zachary Parker, Councilmember | D.C.   

• The Honorable Ralph Massullo Jr., State Representative| Florida  

• The Honorable Jason Esteves, State Senator | Georgia   

• The Honorable Anne Lopez, Attorney General | Hawaii  

• The Honorable Chris Welch, Speaker of the House | Illinois  

• The Honorable Jeff Raatz, State Senator | Indiana  

• The Honorable Amy Sinclair, State Senator | Iowa  

• The Honorable Dinah Sykes, State Senator | Kansas 

• The Honorable Kelly Noonan Murphy, Representative | Maine  

• The Honorable Aruna Miller, Lt. Governor | Maryland  

• The Honorable Patrick Tutwiler, Secretary of Education | Massachusetts 

• The Honorable Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State | Michigan 

• The Honorable Brad Christ, State Representative | Missouri 

• The Honorable Stavros Anthony, Lt. Governor | Nevada   

• The Honorable Craig Coughlin, Speaker of the House | New Jersey    

• The Honorable Leo Jaramillo, State Senator | New Mexico  

• The Honorable Lisa Barnes, State Senator | North Carolina  

• The Honorable Michelle Axtman, State Senator | North Dakota  

• The Honorable Dave Yost, Attorney General | Ohio  

• The Honorable Jon Echols, State Representative | Oklahoma  

• The Honorable Tobias Read, Secretary-elect | Oregon  

• The Honorable Morgan Cephas, State Representative | Pennsylvania  

• The Honorable Sean Bennett, State Senator | South Carolina  

• The Honorable Taylor Rehfeldt, State Representative | South Dakota  

• The Honorable David Zuckerman, Lt. Governor | Vermont  

• The Honorable Sam Rasoul, Delegate | Virgina 

• The Honorable Sara Rodriguez, Lt. Governor | Wisconsin  

• The Honorable Eric Barlow, State Senator | Wyoming 

“Schools across the country are navigating what successful learning looks like,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D-MI). I’m grateful to be part of The Hunt Institute’s next cohort of Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows; I’m eager to learn more about what my peers are doing to ensure all students are given a chance to succeed, regardless of circumstance, and make progress for students nationwide.” 

From December through August, Fellows participate in a rigorous curriculum facilitated by The Institute’s policy teams, including policy discussions, strategy breakouts, site visits and classroom perspective sessions, monthly webinars, and two in-person convenings to share experiences and gain insights from fellow cohort members. 

“I’m honored to be part of this cohort and appreciate The Hunt Institute for the opportunity,” said Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony (R-NV). “The chance to learn, collaborate, and lead on critical education issues is an opportunity I’m excited to embrace alongside this bright group of education-minded leaders. Together, we can drive real change.” 

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About The Hunt Institute 

The Hunt Institute, an affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since its establishment in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. For more information, please visit: http://www.hunt-institute.org/