Christopher J. Nellum is the executive director of EdTrust–West, an evidence-driven advocacy organization committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in California’s education system. Nellum leads a team of passionate, talented advocates and has solidified and strengthened EdTrust–West’s role as one of the most influential and impactful education advocacy organizations in the state. Nellum is a gubernatorial appointee; he serves on several statewide committees, on the advisory boards of the New Leadership Academy and Generation Up, and on the boards of directors of the James B. McClatchy Foundation and Swipe Out Hunger. He is a respected thought leader, a sought-after speaker in California and nationally, and a frequent writer and media commentator on issues of racial equity in education. Nellum completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara; his master’s degree at California State University, Long Beach; and his doctorate at the University of Michigan.