A public education advocate, with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, fundraising, nonprofit management, and youth development, Joe Callahan has served as the executive director of the Education Foundation of Anne Arundel County Public Schools since June 2024. Since stepping into this role, he has led the organization through its first comprehensive strategic planning process, a full scale rebranding, and has more than doubled its impact.

Prior to this, Joe served as the Chief of Staff of the award-winning E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington, DC, helping lead communications, fundraising, board management, and supporting the cross-functional work aligned with the organization's long-term goals.

From 2010 – 2016, Joe was the founding Executive Director of 826DC, where he expanded the organization to serve more than 5,000 DC public and charter school students per year, winning the 2014 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ Mayor’s Art Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education.

Before 826DC, Joe taught writing at two DC-area universities, and worked in development for a transatlantic public policy organization and a renowned art museum. Joe received his BA from The George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs, his MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and a Masters in Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

An avid golfer and reader, Joe lives in Arnold, MD, with his wife and two children.