
Frances Messano
CEO
NewSchools Venture Fund
Austin, TX USA
“It’s a journey and where you think you’re going is not necessarily where you end up.”
NewSchools Venture Fund
Austin, TX USA
“It’s a journey and where you think you’re going is not necessarily where you end up.”
CEO
I raise money to make early stage investments in people with promising ideas in K-12 education.
I spend a lot of time talking to funders about our organization to try and inspire them to give money to support our work. I also spend a lot of time setting the strategy and vision for the organization. I make sure we stay focused on what we do best. Essentially, I spend my time inspiring people to work with us, from recruiting staff members to recruiting people with ideas to join our portfolio.
Here's the first step for college students
There are a lot of different ways to get into education. Try getting connected with organizations like Teach for America. I also suggest volunteering while in college—volunteering with education organizations or even tutoring younger students.
"I'm going to get my degree, find a job, and work at that job for the rest of my career."