Geoff Nagle
Dr. Nagle is an accomplished nonprofit executive with a proven track record of leading mission-driven organizations to greater impact and sustainability. Throughout his career, he has focused on improving outcomes for children and families while strengthening the systems that serve them. He currently serves as chief operating officer of The Chicago Public Education Fund and as an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Tulane University School of Medicine.
Dr. Nagle has held leadership roles in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years. From 2014 to 2021, he served as president and CEO of Erikson Institute, the nation’s premier graduate school in child development and a leading force in improving the lives of young children and their families through research, service, and advocacy. Under his leadership, Erikson expanded its clinical services to reach 10,000 children annually through mental health clinics and child abuse intervention programs. He also spearheaded the launch of new policy and community impact initiatives that received national recognition. During his tenure, the organization experienced significant growth: student enrollment increased, fundraising broke records, and the operating budget grew by 57% to nearly $25 million, while the endowment reached $50 million.
Prior to Erikson, Dr. Nagle served as the founding director of the Tulane Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and as an associate professor at Tulane University School of Medicine. His advocacy in Louisiana led to the creation of Quality Start, the state’s child care quality rating and improvement system, and to the passage of the School Readiness Tax Credits legislation. Since its implementation in 2008, the tax credit package has delivered more than $120 million in support of high-quality child care for Louisiana families. Elements of the legislation have since been replicated in other states, including Nebraska and Colorado.
Dr. Nagle has presented nationally and internationally on issues affecting the early years of life. In 2016, he received the World Association for Infant Mental Health’s Sonya Bemporad Award, honoring his contributions to public policy supporting the mental health of infants, toddlers, and their families. He is also a recipient of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner’s Award for Child Abuse Prevention and the Charles M. Vanchiere Child Advocacy Award from the Louisiana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
He holds a B.A. in political science from Duke University and a Master of Social Work, a Master of Public Health, and a Ph.D. in mental health policy research from Tulane University.