DALLAS, TEXAS —The George W. Bush Institute is thrilled to announce that Nina Rees has joined the organization as Senior Fellow. In this role, Rees will advise the Bush Institute on pressing policy issues relating to education and the workforce.
“Nina Rees is a trusted education policy expert who will contribute greatly to our work on ensuring opportunity for all,” said Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute. “Her policy expertise will add a unique voice to the Bush Institute’s work on improving outcomes for young Americans.”
Most recently, Rees served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools for nearly 12 years. During her tenure, she increased federal funding for charter schools from $254 million annually to $440 million while expanding the program’s bipartisan base of support.
Prior to joining the National Alliance, Rees spent 20 years shaping education policy in the public and private sectors. From 2002 to 2006, she served as the first Deputy Under Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, she oversaw the administration of nearly 25 grants totaling over $1 billion and the implementation of the school choice provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Before moving to the Education Department, Rees worked in the White House as Deputy Assistant for Domestic Policy in the Office of Vice President Dick Cheney.
“As a Bush-Cheney administration alum, I am honored to be joining the George W. Bush Institute and the Education and Opportunity policy team as a Senior Fellow,” Rees said. “The connection between education and careers has never been more important. As the world changes rapidly, we need to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education that sets them up for success.”
Rees has been a guest on Bloomberg, CNBC, C-SPAN, Fox News, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and PBS’ NewsHour. Her articles and opinions have been published in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Washingtonian named her one of Washington, D.C.’s Most Influential People.
“Nina’s experience will be a great asset to the Bush Institute’s policy priorities that promote accountability and greater coordination between educators, state leaders, and employers,” Wicks continued.
A native of Iran who immigrated to America at the age of 14, Rees earned her undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech and a master’s degree at George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government. She is also the proud mom of a Davidson College Wildcat.
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About the George W. Bush Institute
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at bushcenter.org.
