David Hardy is managing partner at the education consulting firm Ed Elements and the former CEO of the Lorain City School District in Ohio.

Previously, he served as deputy superintendent of academics for Saint Louis Public Schools in Missouri, where he supported the development of the academic office, the district’s strategic plan, and corresponding academic initiatives. He led the team that brought Saint Louis Public Schools full accreditation for the first time since 2000 and oversaw the academic turnaround that increased the district’s Annual Performance Report score from 40.5 points to 104.5 points in three years. Through his strong strategic planning, prudent fiscal allocations, and goal alignment, he helped the district reach academic achievement highs not seen in almost 20 years.

Prior to his time in Saint Louis, Hardy was executive director of regional achievement for the New Jersey Department of Education. In this role, he supported the turnaround of Camden City Schools into what is now seen as a budding national model.

Hardy was the founding principal of Achievement First East New York Middle School. During his tenure, 98 percent of sixth- and seventh-grade students were proficient in math, and the school was the highest-achieving campus in language arts in Brooklyn’s District 19.

He has a bachelor’s in economics from Colgate University, a master’s in education administration from St. Thomas University in Miami, Fla., a master’s in urban education leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is pursuing his doctorate in education from Teachers College.

Hardy is a member of the Board of Trustees at Columbia College in Missouri and is an alumnus of the second cohort of the Future Chiefs leadership development program, the National Superintendents Academy, and the Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard University.