The Mind Trust’s new CEO pledges to listen to critics and look to parents to lead changes

…Harris’ successor, Brandon Brown, came up through the paths that The Mind Trust forged, first through Teach for America in Indianapolis, then by overseeing charter schools for the mayor’s office, and most recently working for The Mind Trust as senior vice president of education innovation.

Now, as the incoming CEO, Brown has said The Mind Trust will “stay the course” that Harris set. But in an interview with Chalkbeat last month, Brown also hinted at what we can expect from his leadership, and at lessons learned over the 12-year history of The Mind Trust.

“I told our board that if you are looking for a replacement for David Harris, you are probably not going to find that person — and you are not going to find that person in me,” Brown said. “But what you will find is someone who has committed his life to the work, who deeply believes in the ability of kids, who is a native of the city, who wants to spend his life fighting for more kids having access to great schools, and you’ll find someone who is committed over the long haul.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity…