Dr. John Dow manages a team of seven Regional Presidents and Managing Directors, overseeing strategic planning, program development, and fundraising. Dow has more than 30 years of professional leadership experience in education.
Prior to joining Special Olympics in 2001, he worked as a national consultant to educational and nonprofit organizations, specializing in planning programs geared toward disenfranchised and socially alienated students. In 1992, Dow was named the CEO of the National Academy Foundation (NAF), and from 1983 to 1992, he served as the CEO of the New Haven Public Schools in Connecticut.
Dow earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Physical Education from Indiana State University, his Master’s Degree in Education with a Counseling Emphasis from Indiana State University, and his Doctorate Degree in Educational Administration from Michigan State University. He has been recognized with numerous educational awards throughout his career, including the Black Businesses and Professional Women’s Association’s Man of the Year, and the Indiana State University Distinguished Alumni Award. The Executive Educator also named Dow one of North America’s top school educators.
Global Leadership Team
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Timothy Shriver, Ph.D
Chairman of the Board -
Mary Davis
President and Chief Executive Officer -
Jim Barbee
Chief Financial Officer -
Dimitri A Christakis, MD, MPH
Chief Health Officer -
Loretta Claiborne
Chief Inspiration Officer -
Nathan Cook
Chief Information & Technology Officer -
John Dow, Ph.D
Chief, Regional & Program Operations -
Shawn Ferguson
Chief of Global Government Relations -
Brandon M. Fitzgerald
Chief Legal Officer; Secretary, Board of Directors -
Annemarie Hill
Chief of Health Operations -
Jacqueline Jodl, Ph.D
Chief, Global Youth and Education -
Emily Klinger
Chief, Leadership & Organizational Development -
Louis Lauria
Chief of Sport and Competition -
Zehra Sayin
Chief Marketing, Communications & Development Officer
