Elliot Felix

Elliot Felix is an author, speaker, teacher, father, and consultant to more than a hundred colleges and universities. He uses his background in design to make college work for all students by improving the spaces they learn and live in, the support services they rely on, and the technology they use.

Over the last 20 years, he has spoken at SxSW Edu, taught courses on innovation, and worked with more than 100 universities including Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State, and the University of Virginia. brightspot strategy, the education consulting company he founded in 2011, has improved the experience of more than 1,000,000 students and was acquired by Buro Happold in 2020. You can find his work in Fast Company, Forbes, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His book "How to Get the Most Out of College" was published in January 2022. His book "The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success" was published in 2025.

Felix received his bachelor’s degree from the University Virginia and a master’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). In the past he has served on the advisory board of the GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, The University of Virginia School of Architecture.

He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Liz, their son Theo, and their daughter Nora.