J.B. Buxton is the founding principal of the Education Innovations Group, a consulting practice focused on state education strategies for PreK-12 and post-secondary public education. Buxton works with state departments of education, national foundations, and state, regional and national organizations focused on dramatic improvements in public education. Clients include organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Southern Regional Education Board, state departments of education, Arabella Advisors, the U.S. Department of Education, VIF International Education, MetaMetrics and Complete College America. Prior to starting the Education Innovations Group, Buxton served as the Deputy State Superintendent of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Additionally, Buxton was senior education advisor to Gov. Mike Easley (N.C.); legislative director for the N.C. State Board of Education; a White House Fellow working with the Domestic Policy Council under President Clinton; and director of policy and research for the Public School Forum of N.C. Buxton earned his bachelor’s degree in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a Morehead-Cain Scholar and an Honors Carolina participant. He received his Master’s in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.