Charles Kolb

Charles E.M. Kolb became the president of Partners 4 Affordable Excellence @EDU in 2015. Mr. Kolb led the Committee for Economic Development in New York City and Washington, D.C., for 15 years, from 1997 until 2012. As president of this independent, nonpartisan business-led research and policy organization, he focused on education and workforce issues, international trade and globalization, money and politics, and macroeconomic proposals affecting the federal budget, Social Security, taxes, and health care.

Prior to joining Partners, Mr. Kolb headed the French-American Foundation – United States, a New York City-based nongovernmental organization dedicated to strengthening the relationship between France and the United States. He was a senior consultant with the Torrenzano Group, a New York communications firm focusing on reputation and high-stakes issues management.

Mr. Kolb has also held several senior-level government positions, including Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy at the White House, where he worked on economic, educational, legal, and regulatory policy initiatives. He served at the U.S. Department of Education as Deputy General Counsel for Regulations and Legislation and was appointed by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush to serve as Deputy Undersecretary for Planning, Budget and Evaluation.

A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Mr. Kolb has served on the board of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, as well as the Common Cause National Governing Board, and the boards of Transparency International – USA, the Center for Political Accountability, the Ethics Resource Center, and the Maison Francaise of Columbia University.

Mr. Kolb received his juris doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Virginia Journal of International Law. He received a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Balliol College, Oxford University, and an A.B. degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

A prolific writer, Mr. Kolb has written a book on White House policymaking and over 100 columns and articles for law reviews, national and international newspapers, legal publications, and education journals. He also enjoys oil painting and biking.