Nathaniel Schwartz is the chief research and strategy officer for the Tennessee Department of Education. In this role, he leads the department’s research and strategic planning teams. Over the last five years at the department, he has contributed to the launch of Tennessee Succeeds, a strategic plan and vision aimed at increasing postsecondary and career readiness for Tennessee’s one million students, and to the creation of the Tennessee Education Research Alliance, an innovative state-level research partnership with Vanderbilt University. He previously served as a high school science teacher in Illinois and Arkansas. He received his Ph.D. and M.P.P. from the University of Michigan and his B.A. from Harvard College.