2U hires former US Deputy Secretary of Education Jim Shelton

2U, the Landover, Md.-based MOOC software company, announced last week it has named former former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Jim Shelton as its first chief impact officer.
At 2U, Shelton will be in charge of maintaining relationships with universities, implementing programs and tweaking them to the needs of the private sector.
CEO Chip Paucek told EdSurge that 2U’s fast growth had created a need for “C-suite leadership at the highest level of the company.”
Shelton had worked six years in the Obama administration, and previously held positions at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and McKinsey & Company.
In a letter published last Wednesday on EdSurge, Shelton explained his decision. After leaving his job in the Department of Education, he said he took stock of his life and decided to work further to expand educational opportunities and defend the value of higher education.
“Although not focused on the highest need populations, I believe 2U is doing path-breaking work in each of these areas,” he wrote.
“There are other companies doing similar work but, in my opinion, 2U’s approach to partnership and focus on impact have the potential to set the standard for the sector, especially as time and data allow more insight.”