Mike Cobb serves as the Senior Innovation and Organizational Excellence Strategist at Mission & Data, where he supports schools and organizations in thinking strategically about the future. He has worked as a Futurist-in-Residence at Forsyth Country Day School and now at The Landmark School in Massachusetts, helping communities explore trends, consider possible futures, and align their vision with long-term priorities. His work focuses on fostering innovation, foresight, and strategic alignment to help schools live out their mission in an ever-changing world.

Through these roles, Mike integrates research, foresight, and strategy—helping schools and organizations not only strengthen today’s practices but also anticipate emerging shifts, build resilience, and design the conditions for long-term success in the future.

Mike is a visionary and results-oriented leader with a track record of successfully steering schools towards organizational excellence. With over 35 years of experience, he has served in various roles, including accomplished classroom teacher, division head, admission/enrollment leader, and Head of School. He is also an international speaker and was a key education leader in the forward-looking NEOM project in Saudi Arabia.

Previously, Mike served as the Head of School at All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler, Texas. Under his leadership, the school underwent strategic vision work resulting in new North Star documents: Mission and Core Values. He led a successful Enrollment Management program, achieving unprecedented growth and sustainability. Mike also successfully spearheaded a capital campaign and led over 30 construction projects, including nationally recognized learning spaces such as the Center For Innovation, The Collaboratory, Outdoor Learning Center, Lower School Learning Villages, Learning Farm and more.

As the Head of NEOM Community Schools and Senior Manager of NEOM Baccalaureate in Saudi Arabia, Mike led the NEOM Education, Research, and Innovation sector through strategic vision work, resulting in plans for the Baccalaureate program, Centers for Excellence, and future campuses. He created and implemented a professional development program for leadership, faculty, and staff, successfully launching programs for the Centers of Excellence, including AI & Robotics, Sustainability, NEOM X, Entrepreneurship & Leadership, Oceanographic Studies, and Teaching & Learning. 

Mike is also a co-founder of the Sandbox, an Innovative Think Tank where thought leaders share visions in a grown-up sandbox setting. Inspired by the unstructured nature of playground sandboxes, the Sandbox provides a space for leaders nationwide to engage in spontaneous, fruitful conversations about their passions. This network emphasizes the value of unscripted dialogue between thought leaders fostering authentic exchanges and innovative ideas in the realms of education and leadership.

During his 20-year tenure at The Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas, Mike held various roles during his educational leadership journey, including Director of Admissions and Enrollment, Head of Middle School, and Director of Summer Programs. He led strategic initiatives in admissions, developed innovative admission assessments, and restructured admissions programs and the Oakridge Ambassador program. As Head of Middle School, he successfully launched a 1:1 laptop initiative (Learn 21), emphasized character education and wellness, and organized comprehensive programs for authentic learning and student agency.

Mike’s career reflects a dedication to transformative education, organizational excellence, innovative leadership, and continuous learning with participation in programs such as Dare to Lead Trainer Certification, SAP Certified Associate in Design Thinking,  the NAIS Aspiring Heads Fellowship, NAIS New Heads Institute, Vanderbilt University's Peabody Fellow in the Institute for Independent School Leadership, and more. Mike has been active in the greater independent school world throughout his career. He has served on several boards, including the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) and Texas Private Schools Association (TPSA), as well as serving on task forces with National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), International Pathways (IP) and others. He has extensive accreditation experience, having led many visiting teams at schools across the world. He has written and presented prolifically, and has advised boards and heads on topics ranging from trendspotting to best practices in governance and leadership. He is also a Fulbright Specialist, part of a prestigious U.S. Department of State program that connects leading experts with institutions around the world to foster international collaboration and advance global knowledge exchange.