Jeanne McCarty is the CEO of Out Teach, a national education nonprofit built to prepare and inspire the next generation of innovators through access to engaging, early science education. She grew up in the piney woods of Mississippi as the daughter and granddaughter of educators. Her family, and early experiences exploring the rich landscape of her community, shaped her passion for bringing real-world learning to all students regardless of their background.
Jeanne joined Out Teach as the first CEO in 2007 and has since grown the organization from local to national scale, impacting hundreds of thousands of students and teachers across the country. As a veteran education leader with more than three decades of experience, McCarty’s focus throughout her career has been on inspiring young people to put knowledge into action. Her interest in educating through experiences began while serving as the Director of Undergraduate Programs for the Department of African American Studies at the University of Maryland. There, she created opportunities for undergraduate students to connect their academic interests with their talents, passions, and career aspirations. Prior to Out Teach, McCarty led Dr. Jane Goodall’s global youth program, Roots & Shoots, and served on the Jane Goodall Institute’s leadership team as Vice President. She worked closely with Dr. Goodall to expand Roots & Shoots across the United States and the globe to empower young people to be the change in their communities.
At Out Teach, McCarty creates urgency for equity and access to a transformative, hands-on early education and mobilizes partners towards that vision. Her leadership in driving that critical need has been highlighted by media outlets like The 74, Education Week, Edutopia, and The Atlanta Journal- Constitution. She has also been an invited guest on popular education podcasts and at conferences like SXSW EDU and AASA – The Schools Superintendent Association.
Jeanne holds an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Maryland and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.A. in American Studies. At the end of a long day, McCarty can be found sitting on the back porch with her family in Washington, DC, particularly in the summer when the bats and fireflies are out.
