Erika Donalds at Florida International University

Education entrepreneur Erika Donalds is the Founder and Chairman of Education Freedom Foundation and the 

Chair of Education Opportunity at America First Policy Institute. A former elected school board member and 

founder of the immersive learning company OptimaEd, she is known as a national expert on education policy 

and school choice and is a frequent commentator and keynote speaker. Erika spent 20 years in the financial 

services industry, finishing her career as chief financial officer and managing partner of a multi-billion-dollar 

investment management firm. Erika and her husband, Congressman Byron Donalds live in Naples, Florida and 

have three sons, who have inspired her passion to make education freedom available to every family.

"Defunding the Department of Education"