Mr. Barry Ford who began his undergraduate studies at Harvard University and continued to earn a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School where he sat in class with President Barack Obama. He joined the Council for a Strong America in 2015 where he served as its Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President and was named President and CEO in January 2019. He has more than 30 years of professional experience as a government official, lawyer, nonprofit executive, and political candidate. Prior to joining the staff of the Council for a Strong America, Mr. Ford’s experience included being a community lobbyist in New York City, a two-time candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and an associate with the international law firm Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. He has also been a policy advocate for quality out-of-school programs for over 15 years.