Michael Dannenberg

Michael Dannenberg is an education policy expert in the United States, with a career spanning Capitol Hill, the executive branch, think tanks, and state government. Dannenberg served as senior education counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, contributing to the drafting of the No Child Left Behind Act, the Education Finance Incentive Grant program, the Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act, and the National Science Foundation Reauthorization Act. While working with Senators Kennedy and Pell, he played a lead role in developing and drafting two Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization laws and numerous provisions in higher education and appropriations law. He was the lead staff author of the "College Quality, Affordability, and Diversity Improvement Act," sponsored by Senator Kennedy. His work on Capitol Hill was recognized by National Journal, which named him to The Hill 100 list of Congress' most influential aides.

Dannenberg has served as a senior education adviser in Washington, D.C., collaborating with public officials such as former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Under Secretary Martha Kanter. At the U.S. Department of Education, he led efforts on teacher education, college completion, and student aid, including chairing an intra-agency task force on teacher education reform, supporting the development of the president's postsecondary education budget, and drafting the department's "College Completion Tool Kit."

Between government roles, Dannenberg directed policy programs at advocacy groups and think tanks. At Education Reform Now, he was vice president for strategic initiatives and higher education policy, focusing on college access, admission, affordability, and completion reform. At Education Trust, he served as director of higher education policy and led the Doing Away With Debt campaign. At New America Foundation, he founded and managed the PK-16 Education Policy Program and Federal Education Budget Project. Dannenberg is recognized as a national expert on the No Child Left Behind Act, the federal education budget, college admissions, and student loan policy. He serves as deputy commissioner for policy at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, where he leads work on state student financial aid and student success initiatives.

Dannenberg's work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Politico Magazine, and The American Prospect. He has testified before Congress and state legislatures and appeared on PBS, WNYC, C-SPAN, CNBC, MSNBC, and CBS's "60 Minutes." Dannenberg is a first-generation college graduate who self-financed his post-secondary education through grants, loans, scholarships, and work. He holds degrees from Boston University, Stanford University, and Yale Law School.