Joe Keeney

Founder and CEO 4th Sector Solutions

Last Reviewed: July 31, 2026

Executive Summary

Joe Keeney is Founder and CEO of 4th Sector Solutions, a provider of shared accounting, financial management, human resources, and operations services to charter schools and educational nonprofit organizations. He brings more than 25 years of experience in charter school finance, operations, and development.

Career Highlights

• Founded 4th Sector Solutions, serving dozens of charter schools and educational nonprofits through offices in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and New York.
• As President of Edison Charter Schools (1997-2005), helped build the nation’s largest and highest-achieving network of public charter schools, serving approximately 30,000 students across 14-15 states.
• Elected a Baker Scholar (top 5% of class) at Harvard Business School.
• Selected by the U.S. Department of Education in 2010 as a peer reviewer for the $4.35 billion Race to the Top grant competition.

Professional Journey

Before entering education, Keeney was a divisional president and chief operating officer of a Fortune 1000 global manufacturer, including five years based in Hong Kong, and worked as a corporate strategy consultant at LEK Consulting in London and Boston. From 1997 to 2005, he served as President of Edison Charter Schools (part of Edison Learning), helping build the nation’s largest and highest-achieving network of public charter schools, with responsibilities spanning client and new school development, school finance and operations, and real estate design and construction.

Keeney went on to found 4th Sector Solutions, providing shared services – including financial management and reporting, human resources, school operations management, data compliance, and food service administration – to charter schools and nonprofit organizations. He has presented extensively at state and national charter school conferences on topics including charter school finance, real estate, and board governance, and authored articles and book chapters for American Enterprise Institute publications. He also founded and chairs School Food Solutions, which helps schools operate healthy meal programs, and 4th Sector Transportation LLC, and serves on the Board and Credit Committee of Charter Schools Development Corporation.

Education

Columbia College

BA, Economics

Harvard Business School

MBA (Baker Scholar, top 5% of class)

Teachers College, Columbia University

EdM, Education Leadership