Graduation Alliance, a Salt Lake City-bases provider of alternative education for youth and adults, has promoted Dr. Shawn Smith to the position of CEO. He succeeds Ron Klausner, CEO since 2015, who will become chairman of the board.
Smith, who joined the company in 2023 as the chief operating officer, is an author, speaker and entrepreneur. Before joining Graduation Alliance, he served as chief innovation officer for McGraw Hill. He co-founded Modern Teacher and spent nine years as its CEO. Earlier in his career, he served as chief of schools at Chicago Public Schools.
“I’m eager to build on the excellence Ron brought to Graduation Alliance,"” Smith said. “Ron’s leadership skills and business acumen helped the organization grow exponentially over the past decade so it could effectively serve learners of all ages throughout the country. We are looking forward to a bright future at Graduation Alliance because of the strong foundation Ron built.”
“It has been the joy of my career to serve as the CEO of Graduation Alliance for the past nine and half years and grow the organization from a small online program to a team of almost 500 mission-oriented individuals,” Klausner said. “Dr. Smith brings nearly 30 years of education expertise to the role and demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and zeal necessary to magnify our impact and bring us to new heights. I will support him in any way I can.”
Founded in 2007, Graduation Alliance has given schools and communities across the nation the resources and support to help individuals reach their educational and career goals. In partnership with school districts, local governments, nonprofits, workforce development boards, and community colleges, Graduation Alliance develops alternative education and workforce training programs.