Higher education technology and marketing veteran brings two decades of experience and AI-driven innovation to build on Carnegie’s position as the trusted partner to institutions nationwide.
Carnegie CEO Todd Zipper
Westford, Mass., Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carnegie, the category leader in strategic solutions for higher education institutions, today announced that Todd Zipper will join the company as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 28. Zipper succeeds Gary Colen, who has led Carnegie’s growth for four years, and will transition to Carnegie’s Board of Directors, where he will continue to support the company’s strategy and long-term vision.
Zipper joins Carnegie following a comprehensive search process led by Colen and the company’s Board, in partnership with Shamrock Capital. The search considered more than 100 candidates before identifying Zipper as the leader best positioned to guide Carnegie into its next phase of growth.
“Carnegie has become an incredible growing entity over the last five years, evolving from a critical point solution partner into a strategic guide for institutions across their entire cabinet,” said Colen. “Our responsibility to elevate our services and solutions to match the needs of clients led us to Todd who brings the experience, the perspective, and the conviction to build on everything this team has accomplished, and I could not be more confident in what comes next for Carnegie under his leadership.”
Over the past five years, Carnegie has expanded its ability to serve higher education institutions across a wide array of their needs, serving nearly 1,000 client institutions while establishing itself as the partner of choice for colleges and universities seeking to solve their most complex challenges with solution-oriented experts, data, and technology.
Zipper brings more than two decades of experience building and scaling organizations at the intersection of education and technology. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Axio, an AI-driven learning innovation platform, where he led the company’s shift toward agentic AI applications for higher education. Prior to Axio, Zipper served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Learning House, where he grew the company’s revenue nearly tenfold, before leading its integration into Wiley Education Services as Executive Vice President and General Manager, where he helped scale EBITDA 5x over three years.
“Carnegie has built something genuinely rare in this category: real category leadership paired with the trust of nearly a thousand institutions,” said Zipper. “Higher education is in a defining moment. AI is reshaping how learning happens, institutions are navigating more complexity than ever, and the organizations that will define the next decade of this category are the ones investing in the right leadership and the right technology now. That is exactly why I’m joining Carnegie, and I’m looking forward to building on the strength of what this team has already created.”
About Carnegie
For every college and university facing urgent and complex challenges, Carnegie is the student connection company that helps you navigate the now and the next in higher education. Our experts design custom strategies fueled by data, technology, and insights—empowering you to connect with today’s diverse learners and stay focused on what matters most: changing students’ lives for good. For more information, visit carnegiehighered.com.
Contact Info
Matt Gerien
[email protected]
+1 978-692-5092
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- Carnegie CEO Todd Zipper
