National Staff

Jonah Edelman wants to make our public schools better. An advocate for public education in America, Jonah is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stand for Children, a growing and influential political voice for students. He is committed to mobilizing Americans around a common goal of changing the odds for our children.

As a second generation civil rights leader – his mother, Marian Wright Edelman, was the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi bar and his father, Peter Edelman, was a close aide to Robert F. Kennedy – Jonah helped organize Stand for Children's historic founding rally in Washington, D.C.. The “Stand for Children Day” rally was attended by more than 300,000 people, and was the largest rally for children in American history. Jonah was recognized on Time.com as one of the nation’s top education activists for 2011.

Jonah Edelman was born and raised in Washington, D.C., graduated from Yale University in 1992, and attended Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, where in three years (1992-1995) he earned masters and doctor of philosophy degrees in politics.

He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Charese and their twin sons, Levi and Elijah, who are in first grade in a public school.

Jonah Edelman has won the following awards:

• Ashoka Innovator for the Public, 2008
• Hunt Alternatives Fund Prime Mover, 2006

More information about Jonah and his work:

• Son of Advocates Makes Education His Mission. The New York Times.
  Article profiling Jonah Edelman just before Illinois’ Senate Bill 7 was signed into law. Stand for Children - Illinois worked extensively on this legislation. April 28, 2011.

• Jonah Edelman: The Activist. School of Thought: 11 Education Activists for 2011. Time.com.
  Special feature presenting key figures in public education advocacy. January 6, 2011.

• Stand for Children’s Jonah Edelman tells AWA about their group pushing education. Amos Brown, Afternoons with Amos (Praise Indy - WTLC AM Indy).
  Audio of Jonah Edelman talking with Amos Brown of Indiana’s AM1310 radio station. March 9, 2011.

• Jonah Edelman: Children’s Advocate and Founder of Stand for Children.
  Jonah Edelman’s profile and speaking topics through the American Program Bureau.

• Children's Advocate Talks About Inspiration, What Kids Need. The Spokesman-Review.
  Q & A profile of Jonah Edelman with reporter from the Pacific Northwest. March 22, 2010.