Most recently, Abner was the national director of outreach and engagement at the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA), where he focused on improving outcomes for underserved students. Previously, he worked at the Alliance for Excellent Education; the educational technology company JumpRope; the Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement; and the professional development provider Modern Red SchoolHouse. He spent eight years partnering with Winner (South Dakota) School District, helping this rural district improve outcomes for its Native American students.
Abner started his career teaching middle and high school students. After earning a bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College, he received a master’s degree from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. He and his wife Laura Jewett live in Bethesda, MD; their son Charlie lives in Portland, OR.