Dr. Nathan Oakley serves as the Senior Policy Director, College & Career Pathways, at ExcelinEd. Nathan previously served as Deputy Director for K-12 Innovation at Accelerate Mississippi, the state’s lead office for workforce strategy and implementation, where he guided several key initiatives to better connect education with careers. He also served for 10 years in various roles at the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), including as the Chief Academic Officer, where he led multiple academic and career-technical program offices. While at the MDE, he supported in the transition to Mississippi’s college- and career-readiness standards and the implementation of landmark legislative initiatives – the Literacy-Based Promotion Act and the Early Learning Collaborative Act – during a period of record academic achievement by Mississippi students. In addition to working as a school and district administrator, Nathan began his career as a band director.
A native of Starkville, Mississippi, he holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Mississippi State University (MSU), a Master of Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, an Educational Specialist degree from MSU, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree also from MSU. He and his family live in Jackson.