Meet AJ Gutierrez. EOS’ new CEO

Equal Opportunity Schools is excited to welcome Antonio “AJ” Gutierrez as our new Chief Executive Officer.   

Gutierrez brings 14 years of leadership in education nonprofits, including a decade as Chief Policy & Public Affairs Officer at Saga Education, a national leader in high-impact tutoring that he co-founded. 

“EOS is at a pivotal moment, and AJ’s appointment represents a bold step forward,” said Eric Weaver, Chair of the EOS Board of Directors. “He brings not only deep expertise in education systems and social innovation, but also the strategic mindset and collaborative leadership needed to guide the organization into its next phase of impact.” 

Transforming Student Outcomes through Collaboration and Tech 

Gutierrez’s career has centered on eliminating barriers to opportunity for underserved students, and effectively advocating for expanded access to evidence-based interventions that improve outcomes.

He has helped federal agencies, philanthropic organizations, and school leaders implement and scale high-impact tutoring and accelerated learning strategies. He has also built bipartisan coalitions to support state and federal investments in these interventions. At Saga Education, he secured over $140 million in funding to expand the organization’s reach to over 5 million students in 17 states as well as the Netherlands and Ukraine. He further expanded postsecondary opportunities for students through strategic partnerships with universities nationwide.  

“If you want to get serious about having a systemic impact, you can’t do it alone,” he said. “You have to intentionally collaborate and build strong coalitions that are grounded in solid data and evidence-based frameworks—that’s how you shift policy and practice in the long run.” 

Another focus area for Gutierrez at Saga was expanding its AI and engineering capabilities to empower educators and serve the diverse needs of students. At EOS, one of his first priorities is implementing next-generation technology to enhance core programming and technical assistance to improve support for schools. 

“What excites me most is EOS’s untapped potential—not just to expand direct impact, but to generate research insights that lift the entire field and inform policy and practice,” he said. “I look forward to working alongside the board, staff, and partners to ensure educational opportunity is not just a promise, but a lived experience for every student.” 

Providing Opportunity for All Students 

Gutierrez credits the personalized academic support he got teachers and mentors as the driving influences behind his educational journey—which took him from struggling in middle school to becoming the first in his family to graduate from college and earn a higher degree. It has also shaped his lifelong commitment to bridging opportunity gaps in education.  

“As someone who directly benefited from the kind of support EOS helps provide, I’m honored to join this team at such a pivotal moment,” Gutierrez said. “Our students deserve not just access, but real opportunity. We’re at an inflection point in K–12 education—where questions about the future of the workforce, what we teach, and how we measure success are front and center. Ensuring that all students have access to advanced coursework and the support systems to thrive is how we move America forward in a rapidly changing world.”