Eric Guckian
Eric Guckian has spent his entire career working across sectors to create lasting change, increase access, and expand opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities. Throughout his tenure, he has focused on improving educational outcomes, advancing social mobility, and driving collaborative solutions to complex challenges.
Eric began his career as a Kindergarten–4th grade science teacher in the South Bronx, NY, as part of the Teach for America corps (1995–1997). His passion for education and equity led him to become a key leader in education reform efforts, including roles as Executive Director for Teach for America, New Leaders, and KIPP. Over the course of 15 years, he worked tirelessly to narrow the achievement gap in public schools, helping to drive school reform and improve student outcomes across the country.
As the Program and later Executive Director of Teach for America-North Carolina (2000–2005), Eric led efforts to expand the organization’s reach and impact. Under his leadership, TFA grew from a small presence to a large-scale initiative in both urban and rural school districts, including the significant expansion of TFA into Charlotte. During his tenure, the size of the teaching corps quadrupled, and annual fundraising efforts tripled. More importantly, TFA teachers in North Carolina achieved the highest student performance outcomes in the nation, as measured by ABC Accountability results. National studies by the Urban Institute and Mathematica confirmed the effectiveness of TFA teachers in North Carolina, with TFA Science and Math teachers performing nearly three times better than their peers.
Following his work with Teach for America, Eric became the founding Executive Director of New Leaders in Charlotte, where he placed over 50 school leaders in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ (CMS) highest-need schools. Over five years, he was instrumental in launching Project LIFT, a landmark partnership designed to “flood the zone” with top-tier talent into the West Charlotte K–12 public schools. This effort led to significant academic improvements, and its influence continues to shape CMS’s approach to school leadership and student achievement.
In 2013, Eric was appointed Senior Education Advisor by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. During his two-year tenure, he played a critical role in securing the two largest teacher pay increases in the nation, reversing a long-standing teacher pay crisis. He also helped safeguard
strong national standards for students and facilitated the growth of charter schools based on measurable student outcomes.
Since 2017, Eric has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of the Greater Triangle, overseeing the organization’s dramatic turnaround. Under his leadership, United Way has developed a bold vision for eradicating poverty and increasing social mobility through strategic
partnerships. Eric spearheaded the creation of the Triangle 10 to Watch, a $1.5 million initiative that invested in early-stage nonprofits led by women and people of color. He also led a groundbreaking partnership with Band Together, which organized the largest charitable concert in the Southeast to support pandemic relief, affordable housing, and mental health initiatives.
In 2021, United Way of the Greater Triangle received a significant philanthropic investment from MacKenzie Scott, one of only 365 nonprofits selected from a pool of over 6,000 nationally. The organization also received an investment from Peter Buffett, one of only two investments he made in the United Way network globally. These investments, combined with others, resulted in over $30 million in community grants since the start of the pandemic.
Eric’s leadership and commitment to his community have been recognized with numerous honors, including The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian award. A proud product of public schools and a first-generation college student, Eric earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Colgate University (1993) and a Master of Education from Harvard University (1998). Eric lives in Durham, North Carolina, with his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Scarlett and Elsa.