Ian Rowe – Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute (AEI); Advisor, Unified Solutions America
Ian Rowe is a leading voice in the national movement to restore merit, personal agency, and foundational American values in education and civil society. As a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), he challenges the prevailing narratives of systemic victimhood and instead champions the power of family, education, entrepreneurship, and faith (F.R.E.E.) as the true pathways to upward mobility. His work directly confronts and deconstructs the divisive ideologies embedded in modern DEI frameworks, advocating instead for colorblind equality, individual responsibility, and institutional renewal.
Rowe is the founder of the FREE Initiative at AEI, a groundbreaking project that equips young people—particularly in underserved communities—with the mindset and tools to overcome adversity through personal agency rather than grievance-based ideologies. His critically acclaimed book, Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for All Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power (Templeton Press, 2022), has become a manifesto for empowerment, offering a proven alternative to the toxic narratives of oppression that dominate education and corporate culture today.
A fierce advocate for school choice and merit-based achievement, Rowe is the co-founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a pioneering network of virtues-based, International Baccalaureate high schools in the Bronx. These schools reject the lowering of standards in the name of “equity” and instead cultivate excellence, moral character, and civic responsibility in students.
Beyond education, Rowe serves as:
• Chairman of the Board, Spence-Chapin (a premier adoption services nonprofit)
• Senior Visiting Fellow, Woodson Center (promoting self-reliance in underserved communities)
• Writer, 1776 Unites Campaign (countering destructive racial narratives with unifying stories of resilience)
A Proven Leader in Business, Government, and Social Impact
Before his work in policy and education, Rowe held executive roles across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, including:
• CEO of Public Prep (leading a high-performing charter school network in NYC)
• Deputy Director, Postsecondary Success at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Senior Vice President, MTV (spearheading strategic partnerships and public affairs)
• Director of Strategy, USA Freedom Corps (The White House) under President George W. Bush
• Cofounder & President, Third Millennium Media (an early digital education platform)
Rowe began his career as a Teach For America corps member and later worked at Andersen Consulting (Accenture) as a senior engagement manager.
Media Presence & Thought Leadership
A frequent commentator in outlets like The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Washington Examiner, and Fox News, Rowe is a sought-after speaker on education reform, family structure, and the dangers of ideological activism in schools and corporations. His insights provide a data-driven, morally grounded alternative to DEI dogma, making him an indispensable voice in today’s cultural debates.
Education & Background
• MBA, Harvard Business School (First Black Editor-in-Chief of The Harbus)
• BS, Computer Science Engineering, Cornell University
• Diploma, Electrical Engineering, Brooklyn Technical High School
Why He Joins Unified Solutions America
As a new member of Unified Solutions America’s Advisory Board, Rowe will help guide the organization’s mission to dismantle harmful DEI frameworks and replace them with principles of unity, individual merit, and true empowerment. His expertise in education, media, and policy will be instrumental in advancing market-driven, family-centered solutions that restore excellence and fairness in American institutions.
Ian Rowe
