Mass Insight Education & Research names Andrea Wolfe President & CEO

Ms. Wolfe succeeds Dr. Susan Lusi, who will step down in June after leading the national nonprofit for eight years.

April 18, 2024 – The Board of Directors of Mass Insight Education & Research has named Andrea Wolfe as the next President & CEO of the Boston-based national nonprofit. Ms. Wolfe currently serves as Chief Advancement Officer for Mass Insight. Dr. Susan Lusi, who has served as President & CEO of Mass Insight since 2016, announced in October that she would step down at the end of the school year in order to pursue personal and professional passions and explore new opportunities. 

“After a national and competitive search to recruit a visionary leader for Mass Insight, we are thrilled to appoint Andrea Wolfe,” said Alia McCants, Board Vice-Chair and CEO Search Committee lead. “Andrea brings tremendous experience, knowledge, skill, and passion to this position, and we are confident she will build on our momentum and expand Mass Insight’s impact across the country in the years ahead.”

“I am honored and excited to serve as the next leader of Mass Insight,” said Ms. Wolfe. “Since it was founded more than 25 years ago, Mass Insight has made a profound impact on the landscape of K-12 public education and on the lives of countless students. The organization is strongly positioned to excel, thanks to our extraordinary staff, Board, clients, partners, funders, and legislative champions. Together, we will embark on new and innovative opportunities to deliver on our mission and build on our proven track record of success.”

Ms. Wolfe has more than 20 years of experience in education, beginning as a bilingual education teacher in Austin, Texas. She previously worked for Mass Insight from 2012 to 2020, and was promoted to lead the school improvement team, expanding the organization’s national footprint and overseeing consulting engagements with state, district, school, and community stakeholders. During her tenure at Mass Insight, she also led the organization’s work in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ms. Wolfe went on to work for Propel America, first as Executive Director for Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and later as Chief of Staff and Chief Talent Officer for the national office. She returned to Mass Insight in December 2023 to serve as Chief Advancement Officer, charged with expanding the fundraising, business development, advocacy, and communications functions of the organization. 

Originally from Bolivia, Ms. Wolfe earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. She has been a Pahara Fellow, Latinos for Education Aspiring Leaders Fellow and Board Fellow, and Education Pioneers Visiting Fellow. She also serves on the board of The Boston Schools Fund.

Dr. Lusi said, “I am delighted that the Board has selected Andrea to lead Mass Insight moving forward. Mass Insight is thriving because we have assembled a remarkable team that is deeply committed to school and district transformation rooted in equity and excellence. Andrea is a dynamic leader who will galvanize the team and accelerate our critical work of ensuring success for all students.”

Gary Evee, Chair of the Mass Insight Board of Directors, thanked and commended Dr. Lusi for her service. “Over the past eight years, Sue Lusi has transformed this organization and set it on a clear course for continued success. Sue has built an exemplary team, expanded our impact here in Massachusetts and across the country, and embedded a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. We are incredibly grateful for her outstanding leadership.”

Mass Insight’s achievements during Dr. Lusi’s tenure include:

• Serving for the past 10 years as the exclusive provider of the Advanced Placement (AP) STEM & English Program for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, engaging more than 11,000 students and 650 AP teachers in 93 high schools and 66 districts across the Commonwealth to promote equity and excellence, particularly among students of color and students from low-income families;

• Helping Massachusetts rank #1 in the nation in the percentage of graduating seniors with an AP score of 3 or higher, largely as a result of Mass Insight’s AP STEM & English Program, in seven of the past eight years; 

• Growing and expanding the organization’s work across the country to support schools, districts, and states, advancing Mass Insight’s national reputation for transforming systems, accelerating student performance, and infusing equity into all improvement efforts; 

• Restoring financial stability, sharpening of programmatic priorities, securing new contracts for school improvement work, and expanding fundraising efforts;

• Building a strong and diverse team, with people of color now comprising nearly half of the staff, compared to less than one-quarter seven years ago; and

• Expanding the size and diversity of the Board of Directors: from a five-member, all-white Board in 2016 to a 14-member Board today, half of whom are people of color.

About Mass Insight Education & Research:

Mass Insight Education & Research (Mi) was founded over 25 years ago and partners with states, districts, schools, and communities to implement customized strategies and build capacity to advance equity and opportunity in K-12 education, so that all students, and particularly those who have been systemically marginalized, are prepared to achieve their academic and personal potential. For more information, visit www.massinsight.org.