Mike Feinberg

Educator in Houston

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Dr. Mike Feinberg
President & Co-Founder, Texas School Venture Fund (TXSVF) and Career For All

Dr. Mike Feinberg is a visionary in education reform with a mission to expand the supply and diversity of exceptional schools in communities where families seek more options. As President and Co-Founder of TXSVF and Career For All, he has played a pivotal role in incubating transformative educational initiatives, including:

  • Eastex Jensen & Westchase Neighborhood Schools
  • WorkTexas Adult Trade School
  • WorkTexas Premier High School at Gallery Furniture
  • Neighborhood Preschools
  • Project Remix Ventures at Harris County Juvenile Probation Department
  • Shawn M. Hurwitz Fellowship for aspiring education leaders

Previously, Dr. Feinberg co-founded and led KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program), growing it into a national network of 270+ public charter schools dedicated to preparing underserved students for success in college and beyond.

Education & Recognitions

  • B.A., University of Pennsylvania (1991)
  • M.Ed., National-Louis University (2005)
  • Honorary Doctorates: Yale University (2010), Duke University (2015)
  • National Community Service Award, Spelman College (2015)
  • Member, Society of Fellows, University of Houston Honors College

Dr. Feinberg’s career began with Teach For America, where he taught bilingual fifth grade in Houston. In 1994, he co-founded KIPP and established KIPP Academy Houston. Later, he co-founded the KIPP Foundation to help scale the program nationally. In recognition of his leadership, he was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2004 and served as the 2005 commencement speaker for the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Feinberg spearheaded efforts to open NOW College Prep (New Orleans West) in Houston, which welcomed evacuee students just 10 days after the storm—a story captured by Washington Post reporter Jay Mathews in Work Hard. Be Nice.

Dr. Feinberg has shared his journey on national platforms like The Oprah Winfrey Show and CBS 60 Minutes. He and his wife, Colleen Dippel, are proud parents of two children: Gus (19) and Abadit (14), whom they adopted from Ethiopia in 2011. In his free time, he enjoys supporting his children's high school football and AAU basketball pursuits.