Arne Duncan served as US secretary of education from January 2009 through December 2015 as part of the Obama administration. Prior to that, Duncan served as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools. He currently leads Chicago CRED, a nonprofit trying to achieve a transformative reduction in gun violence in Chicago. Through partnerships with local business leaders, community organizers, and nonprofit groups, Duncan aims to provide outreach, therapeutic, education, and employment opportunities for the young men most likely to be engaged in gun violence. He is also the managing partner at Emerson Collective, an organization dedicated to removing barriers so people can live to their full potential.