Daniel W. Jackson

American business executive; chief financial officer and chief administrative officer of Strategic Education, Inc.

Daniel W. Jackson

Name	Daniel W. Jackson
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive
Title	Executive vice president; chief financial officer; chief administrative officer
Employer	Strategic Education, Inc.
Boards	Torrens University Australia (director)
Education	B.A., University of Colorado Boulder; MBA, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business
Known For	Finance leadership at Strategic Education, Inc. and its university systems

Daniel W. Jackson is an American business executive who serves as executive vice president, chief financial officer (CFO), and chief administrative officer (CAO) of Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI), the publicly traded education services company that owns Strayer University, Capella University, Sophia Learning, and the Australia–New Zealand portfolio of Torrens University Australia, Think Education, and Media Design School. A long-tenured leader at SEI and its predecessor Strayer Education, Inc., Daniel W. Jackson has worked across finance and operations since 2003, was promoted to CFO effective March 1, 2015, and has signed the company’s periodic reports and Sarbanes–Oxley certifications in his capacity as CFO. He also serves on the board of Torrens University Australia, part of SEI’s Australia–New Zealand operations acquired from Laureate Education in 2020.

Early life and education

Public biographical summaries report that Daniel W. Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business also lists him among its leadership and advisory participants as “Daniel Jackson (MBA ’03), EVP, CFO, Strategic Education, Inc.”

Early career

Before joining Strayer, Daniel W. Jackson worked in operational and finance roles at Fairmont Schools, Inc., and in equity research at Legg Mason Wood Walker. These positions developed the cross-functional operations and capital-markets grounding that he later brought to university and holding-company roles inside Strayer Education, Inc. and the post-merger Strategic Education, Inc.

Strayer University and Strayer Education (2003–2018)

Daniel W. Jackson joined Strayer in 2003 and progressed through university and holding-company posts including campus director, director of business operations, regional vice president of operations, vice president of finance, and senior vice president of finance and treasurer. In July 2014 the company announced a CFO succession plan: long-serving CFO Mark C. Brown would retire effective March 1, 2015, and Daniel W. Jackson—then senior vice president and treasurer—would assume the CFO role at that time.

As CFO, he took responsibility for external reporting, financial planning and analysis, treasury, capital allocation, and investor communications at Strayer Education, Inc., and began signing the company’s Exchange Act reports and Sarbanes–Oxley certifications. During this period, the holding company completed a number of capital-markets transactions and investor communications cycles typical of U.S. higher-education companies, and Jackson regularly appeared on quarterly earnings calls alongside the chairman and CEO.

Strategic Education, Inc. and the Capella merger (2018–present)

In 2018, Strayer Education, Inc. completed an all-stock merger of equals with Capella Education Company to form Strategic Education, Inc.. The combined holding company retained the separate university brands while consolidating corporate functions at the parent level. After the transaction closed, Daniel W. Jackson continued as executive vice president and CFO of the combined company and ultimately also assumed the CAO title, reflecting his remit across enterprise finance and administrative services.

As CFO of Strategic Education, Inc., Daniel W. Jackson is the officer of record on SEC filings and correspondence, including review letters and responses between the company and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He is also listed as the company finance contact in investor news releases and capital-markets announcements.

Australia–New Zealand expansion and board service

A notable development during Jackson’s tenure as CFO was SEI’s expansion outside the United States through the acquisition of Laureate Education’s Australia and New Zealand operations—Torrens University Australia, Think Education, and Media Design School—in 2020. The transaction, announced on July 29, 2020, was valued at approximately US$642.7 million and closed on November 3, 2020.

Consistent with governance practices for SEI’s international subsidiaries, the company later disclosed that two SEI executives—CEO Karl McDonnell and Daniel W. Jackson—serve on the board of directors of Torrens University Australia. Separate governance pages for Torrens/Think also reflect Jackson’s director role. Industry and financial media reported the deal value and scope at the time of announcement and closing.

Public company reporting and investor communications

As CFO, Daniel W. Jackson regularly appears on earnings calls with the chairman and chief executive officer to discuss quarterly and annual results, capital allocation, and segment performance across U.S. Higher Education, Australia/New Zealand, and Education Technology Services (ETS). He is further listed in multiple investor-facing documents as the signatory for certifications and correspondence associated with SEI’s Forms 10-K and 10-Q, reflecting the CFO’s statutory responsibilities for disclosure controls and procedures.

Roles and responsibilities

Chief financial officer

In his role as CFO, Daniel W. Jackson oversees SEI’s enterprise finance, including financial planning and analysis, controllership, treasury, and capital-markets activities. Investor materials and news releases list him as the corporate contact for financings and public-equity actions, underscoring his role in capital strategy. Under his finance leadership, the company navigated the Capella merger integration (2018) and the expansion into Australia and New Zealand (2020).

As a public company principal financial officer, Jackson signs the certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act for SEI’s Exchange Act reports. His signature also appears on subsidiary-level agreements (e.g., Capella Education Company and Sophia Learning), reflecting SEI’s structure of universities and education services under a single holding company.

Chief administrative officer

SEI’s executive roster lists Daniel W. Jackson as both CFO and chief administrative officer, indicating leadership responsibilities that span administrative services alongside finance. SEI’s proxy statements and annual reports describe the company’s centralized corporate functions supporting multiple accredited institutions and non-degree brands in the U.S. and the ANZ region; the CAO role aligns with the governance and administrative support such a portfolio requires.

Board and advisory service

• Torrens University Australia: SEI disclosed that two executives, including Daniel W. Jackson, serve on the Torrens University board as part of the governance of its Australian subsidiary.
• Think Education: Governance pages associated with Think Education identify Jackson as an SEI executive board member.

Education

Sources summarizing Daniel W. Jackson’s education record indicate a B.A. from the University of Colorado Boulder and an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business (Class of 2003). Several company publications and third-party profiles likewise note these credentials.

Career chronology

• Director of Operations, Fairmont Schools, Inc. (pre-2003); equity research associate, Legg Mason Wood Walker (pre-2003).
• Joined Strayer (2003), holding roles including campus director; director of business operations; regional vice president of operations; vice president of finance; senior vice president of finance and treasurer.
• Appointed chief financial officer of Strayer Education, Inc. effective March 1, 2015.
• Continued as executive vice president and CFO following the creation of Strategic Education, Inc. (2018) from the Strayer–Capella merger; also listed as chief administrative officer at SEI.
• Board service: director, Torrens University Australia; board affiliations associated with SEI’s ANZ operations have included Think Education.

Notable transactions and initiatives

Capital markets and financing

SEI’s 2020 underwritten public offering of common stock identifies Daniel W. Jackson—then CFO—as the investor contact, a typical role for a principal financial officer leading capital-markets communications.

International expansion (Australia and New Zealand)

As CFO, Daniel W. Jackson was part of the leadership team that announced and closed SEI’s acquisition of Laureate Education’s ANZ operations in 2020, adding Torrens University Australia, Think Education, and Media Design School to the portfolio. The transaction was valued at approximately US$642.7 million at announcement and extended SEI’s footprint to a global student base across the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

Public company filings and certifications

SEI’s Exchange Act reports and exhibits include signature attestations by Daniel W. Jackson as executive vice president and chief financial officer, such as Exhibit 31.2 certifications (Section 302) and Section 906 certifications, and various signature blocks on subsidiary agreements filed with quarterly reports.

Media and analyst coverage

Financial and industry outlets routinely note Daniel W. Jackson’s presence on SEI earnings calls in his capacity as CFO. Executive databases and business press also list his academic credentials and tenure at SEI/Strayer, including MBA ’03 (Georgetown) and undergraduate study at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Share ownership and named executive officer status

SEI’s 2025 proxy statement identifies Daniel W. Jackson as a named executive officer and reports beneficial ownership information for SEI common stock consistent with U.S. proxy disclosure requirements. He has appeared in prior proxy statements and annual reports in similar fashion since assuming the CFO role in 2015.

Personal life

Public sources emphasize Daniel W. Jackson’s professional and educational background; detailed personal biographical data are not widely published by the company or in public filings beyond educational credentials and business affiliations.

See also

• Strategic Education, Inc.
• Strayer University
• Capella University
• Torrens University Australia
• Sophia Learning

External links

• https://sei.strategiceducation.com/about/company-info/executive-management/default.aspx
• 1013934