Brian Napack

Executive Chairman, 2U

Biography

Brian Napack 2U’s Executive Chairman.  In this role, he works closely with 2U’s leadership team and board to ensure the Company continues its 15-year journey of enabling the scaled delivery of powerful education that moves the needle for learners and employers worldwide.

Brian is a long-time leader in education, research, publishing and media.  He is the former President and CEO of John Wiley (NYSE: WLY), one of the world’s leading publishers and a provider of tech-enabled services that power the education and scientific research ecosystems. He has served as the Chairman of the Association of American Publishers (AAP); Senior Advisor at Providence Equity, a leading investor in education and media; President of Macmillan, the global publisher; Partner at L.E.K. Consulting and co-head of its media practice; and founder and CEO of ThinkBox, a digital education company.  At The Walt Disney Company, Brian founded Disney Educational Publishing and was a co-founder of Disney Interactive.  

Brian currently serves on the boards of RBmedia, the world’s leading audiobook publisher and Elentra, a pioneer in healthcare education technology.  He has previously served on the boards of many organizations including the Business-Higher Education Forum, Blackboard, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Burning Glass, Ascend Learning, Recorded Books, Ingram Industries, myON (Renaissance Learning), EDMC, and Synergis (Risepoint).  

Brian has been a long-standing, passionate director and supporter of Zero-To-Three, a leading science-based non-profit working with policy makers, practitioners, and parents to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life.  

Brian received an MBA from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College in Vermont.