Fred A. Jones Jr.

Fred A. Jones Jr. serves as the senior director of public policy and advocacy for the Southern Education Foundation (SEF). His core responsibilities include creating and advancing equitable public policy solutions aligned with the mission and values of SEF at the federal, state, and local levels. 

Fred began his career working for the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee, playing a supporting role in reauthorizing the Higher Education Act and the National and Community Service Act, and in passing the Affordable Care Act. He served as the director of government affairs for the United Negro College Fund, advocating for more equitable student aid and appropriations policies. Most recently, Fred served as the director of policy for the Aurora Institute, providing technical assistance and policy implementation strategies for federal and state policymakers interested in adopting student-centered learning policies. He has a range of policy and advocacy experience, from early childhood development through postsecondary education. 

Fred completed the Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative at Furman University. He is a Pahara-NextGen Fellow, an Institute for Responsible Citizenship Scholar, a National Collegiate Scholar, a Coro Fellow, and a 10-time All-American track and field athlete. He also serves on the board of the Linked Learning Alliance. 

Fred holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tufts University and an MBA from the University of Maryland.