We are pleased to share that Dr. T. Nakia Towns will be assuming a new role as President of Accelerate. Dr. Towns joined Accelerate in 2023 as Chief Program Officer and most recently served as Chief Operating Officer.
As President, Nakia will lead Accelerate’s integration of its program, research and state policy work, and will continue to oversee the organization’s operations.
“Nakia’s deep knowledge of education systems and her proven ability to lead ambitious initiatives uniquely position her to excel in this role,” said Kevin Huffman, Accelerate’s CEO. “I am grateful that she’ll continue to work alongside me, our board, the growing Accelerate team, and our partners as we work together to embed effective solutions into the fabric of public education.”
This transition comes at an important moment for both public education and Accelerate. As states focus on building more durable systems of support for students, Accelerate is deepening its work to connect evidence, policy, and practice in ways that help research-backed solutions take root. Under Nakia’s leadership, Accelerate is strengthening its ability to help states translate proven ideas into long-term success for students.
“As a hub for advancing what works, Accelerate turns evidence into measurable progress, helping students thrive,” said Dr. Janice Jackson, Accelerate’s Board Chair. “Nakia has played a key role in shaping this mission and will continue to be a driving force in this work.”
Before joining Accelerate, Nakia served as a senior leader at the district and state levels. As Deputy Superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), she led transformative work to pilot high quality instructional materials aligned to the science of reading and full implementation of whole child supports to achieve educational equity. Before her appointment in GCPS, Towns served as interim and deputy superintendent at Hamilton County Schools (HCS) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, driving continuous improvement across all departments and leading HCS to become the fastest improving district in Tennessee. Prior to joining Hamilton County, Towns was Assistant Commissioner, Division of Data and Research, at the Tennessee Department of Education. During her time at the department, she helped set the strategic direction for PreK-12 educational policy, as co-author of the state’s highly regarded plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Nationally, she was selected for the Future Chiefs leadership development program by Chiefs for Change, as well as the Broad Residency in Urban Education by the Broad Center, now part of Yale University.
Nakia began her career in technology and banking after earning a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and an MBA from Duke University. She completed a doctorate in education at Vanderbilt University.
