John Katzman
Born 1959 · Age 66
American education technology entrepreneur; founder of The Princeton Review, 2U, and Noodle; author and long-time edtech investor and board member.
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Life & Career Timeline
Graduated from Princeton University (approx.)
Listed as a Princeton University graduate; exact graduation year not specified in source. Associated with early-1980s start of The Princeton Review.
Launched SAT prep classes in New York City
Started hands-on SAT preparation classes, the seed of The Princeton Review business model.
Founded The Princeton Review
Katzman founded The Princeton Review, initially teaching SAT preparation to high-school students in New York City.
Became CEO / Chairman of The Princeton Review (founder role)
As founder, Katzman served as CEO and chairman of The Princeton Review (role began with company founding).
Princeton Review growth — national expansion (milestone)
Throughout the late 1980s/early 1990s The Princeton Review expanded nationally as a major test-prep company (growth milestone referenced by Katzman's profile).
Marriage to Alicia Ernst (approx.)
Source lists Katzman as married to Alicia Ernst; page with children's ages suggests marriage likely occurred before mid-1990s. Exact year not provided; this is an estimate.
Birth of son (estimated)
US Chamber Foundation bio lists a son aged 25 at the time of the speaker listing (which appears around 2020); this places son's birth around 1995 (estimate).
Birth of daughter (estimated)
US Chamber Foundation bio lists a daughter aged 23 at the time of the speaker listing (around 2020); this places daughter's birth around 1997 (estimate).
Helped found Student Advantage (reported involvement)
Source states Katzman was involved in founding Student Advantage; the text does not specify the year or precise role.
Helped found Tutor.com (reported involvement)
Katzman is credited with involvement in the founding of Tutor.com (source states he was involved in founding several education companies including Tutor.com). Exact founding role and year per source not specified.
Featured/interviewed on FRONTLINE / PBS about the SAT
Katzman gave an in-depth interview to FRONTLINE (PBS) criticizing the SAT's validity and coachability; excerpts appear on the FRONTLINE site.
Began active angel investing in edtech
Over the 2000s Katzman is noted as an angel investor in multiple education-technology ventures and as someone who helped launch several edtech startups.
Joined board: Carnegie Learning (director role reported)
Katzman served as a director of Carnegie Learning (exact appointment year not given; mid-2000s timing based on career chronology).
Served on board: Renaissance Learning (director role reported)
Katzman served as a director of Renaissance Learning; source lists this among several board roles without specific dates.
Became CEO & Chairman of 2U
Katzman served as CEO and chairman of 2U after founding it; later stepped down as CEO in 2012.
Founded 2U (company creation)
Katzman founded 2U (an organization partnering with universities to deliver online degree programs). Founding year commonly reported as 2008 in public sources and implied by Katzman's later CEO role.
Served on board: National Association of Independent Schools (director)
Katzman has served as a director of NAIS; the source lists NAIS among organizations where he held directorships (specific dates not provided).
Stepped down as CEO of 2U
Katzman served as 2U's CEO until January 2012, according to the biography text.
Served as director: National Alliance of Public Charter Schools
Listed among Katzman's directorships; source does not provide appointment date — placed here as a mid-career board role.
Joined Woodrow Wilson Foundation (board/director role reported)
Katzman has served on the Woodrow Wilson Foundation; source lists it alongside other non-profit boards without exact dates.
Founded Noodle / Noodle Education / Noodle Partners (company start)
Katzman founded Noodle (also referenced as Noodle Education / Noodle Partners), a technology-enabled services provider helping universities build and manage online/hybrid programs.
Named CEO of Noodle (founder role formalized)
Katzman is listed as founder and CEO of Noodle in company materials; this records his active leadership role at Noodle.
Co-author of five books (cumulative milestone)
Katzman is described as the co-author of five books and many articles on education and edtech topics (source lists 'co-author of five books'). Year is cumulative — books authored across career.
Served as director: Institute for Citizens and Scholars
Katzman served as a director of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars; date not specified by the source, placed mid-decade.
Ongoing angel investing and advisory roles in edtech
Katzman continued to invest in and advise numerous education-technology ventures and served on boards and advisory boards.
Public profile lists family: married to Alicia Ernst; two children
Chamber Foundation bio states Katzman is married to Alicia Ernst and lists a son (age 25) and daughter (age 23) — implying births circa mid-1990s.
Speaker: US Chamber Foundation TalentForward20
Katzman appeared as a speaker for the US Chamber Foundation event 'TalentForward20' (bio and speaker listing reference his role and family details).
Noodle continues as tech-enabled services provider to universities (milestone)
Noodle (and Noodle Partners) is described as helping dozens of top US universities build and manage online and hybrid programs; Katzman remains CEO/founder.
Ongoing public commentary on standardized testing & education policy
Across interviews and publications Katzman has been an outspoken critic of standardized testing and a frequent speaker on education measurement topics.
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