Mayor John Cooper has appointed Robert Fisher, M.S. Ed., MPP as Senior Advisor for Education. In his role at the Mayor’s Office, Mr. Fisher will work with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and with business, nonprofit, and community groups to improve outcomes for Nashville’s children. In addition to working closely with MNPS, Fisher will focus on promoting Nashville’s literacy and workforce development efforts, among other policy initiatives.
“Robert is an intelligent, dynamic professional with a heart for public education,” said Mayor Cooper. “Our public students deserve a world-class education. Nashville is growing. Our population is becoming more diverse, technology can empower our educators in new ways, and our solutions must stay ahead of the challenges we face. I look forward to working with Robert as we serve our MNPS students and their families while keeping an eye on the future of our schools.”
“I was drawn to this role not only because of Mayor Cooper’s vision for enhancing teacher pay, but also because of Nashville’s long-standing commitment to expanding opportunity for young people,” said Fisher. “With the impact of COVID-19 as well as growing calls for education equity, that commitment is more important than ever. I’m eager to continue the incredible collaboration between the Mayor’s office, MNPS, and the broader education community, and I’m especially excited about getting to know the many students and families across Metro Nashville.”
Fisher previously served as a director for Strategic Operations & Innovation at Shelby County Schools in Memphis, Tenn. In this role, he was an advisor to the deputy superintendent for Finance & Operations and managed a portfolio of district-wide change initiatives.
Prior to joining Shelby County Schools, he was an Innovation Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, where he led the organization’s technical assistance practice in Shelby County, Tenn. Fisher, a Rhodes Scholar, holds both a MS in Education and an MPP from the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.
Fisher is originally from Clarksville, Tennessee and received his Bachelor of Science degree in political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
