Kevin Shafer

Kevin Shafer is the President of City Fund, where he leads the organization’s efforts to expand access to high-quality schools for all students across the country. In this role, he oversees organizational strategy and execution, guiding City Fund’s work in multiple cities to improve student outcomes. Kevin leads both the City Fund Partner Team, which provides direct support to city leaders, and the Impact Team, which evaluates organizational progress and supports the network of education leaders working to accelerate progress and improve outcomes.

With over 15 years of experience in philanthropic and school system leadership, Kevin has dedicated his career to transforming urban education. Before becoming President, he served as a Partner at City Fund, where he provided strategic support to cities and states and played a pivotal role in launching the organization’s communications workstream.

Prior to joining City Fund, Kevin was the Chief Innovation Officer for Camden City School District, where he spearheaded the district’s school transformation efforts. His work led to the development of Renaissance Schools, a partnership between district and high-performing charter schools that expanded access to high-quality education. In Camden, he led citywide school construction and renovation projects, securing over $300 million in improvements, and launched a citywide enrollment system to ensure equitable access for all students.

Kevin began his career in Bridgeport, Connecticut, teaching 7th-grade social studies before transitioning into education leadership. He later trained new teachers and served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Bridgeport Public Schools, supporting district-wide strategy and operations.

He serves on the board of The 74 Million, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to covering education policy and reform. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from Wake Forest University, where he graduated magna cum laude with honors and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Kevin currently resides in Philadelphia with his wife, Marianne, and their two sons, Emerson and Fletcher.