J. Michael Locke

J. Michael Locke is the Managing Director of Giles Richard LLC, an education advisory and investment firm.  The son of a school teacher from Decatur, Illinois, he is a graduate of Harvard University Law School, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and DePauw University.  Michael has been a senior executive and investor in four businesses involving technology and education. Most recently, he founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of Rasmussen, the parent organization of Deltak edu, Rasmussen College and Collegis Education, from 2003 through 2013.  He has also worked as an investment banker at Montgomery Securities and attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell.

Michael currently serves on the Board of Directors of Collegis Education, the Cancer Research Foundation, and the Graham School of Professional Studies at the University of Chicago. He is an Education Technology Advisor to OCA Ventures and has also been appointed to the American Academy Commission on the Future of Postsecondary Education.  Michael and his wife Heather are the proud parents of Skip, Cate, Caroline, and Graham.