Barbara Dalio: Education and Nonprofit Leadership

Last Updated on August 4, 2026 by Business Blog Media Editorial Team

Introduction

Barbara Dalio is an education philanthropist and nonprofit leader.

She is the founder and chief executive officer of Dalio Education. She also serves as a co-founder and director of Dalio Philanthropies.

Dalio Education works with public schools, educators, nonprofit organisations and communities across Connecticut.

Its main goal is to help young people remain connected with education, prepare for employment and build a stable path into adult life.

The organisation supports this work through research, long-term partnerships, grants and programmes including the Connecticut RISE Network and Connecticut Opportunity Project.

Barbara Dalio Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full public name	Barbara Dalio
Profession	Education philanthropist and nonprofit leader
Main organisation	Dalio Education
Current role	Founder and CEO
Other role	Co-founder and director of Dalio Philanthropies
Education	University of Madrid
Main focus	Education, youth development and employment
Major initiatives	Connecticut RISE Network and Connecticut Opportunity Project
Geographic focus	Connecticut, United States

Who Is Barbara Dalio?

Barbara Dalio is best known for leading education and youth-development programmes in Connecticut.

Her work focuses especially on young people who are struggling to remain connected with school, employment or community support.

Rather than supporting only one school or short campaign, Dalio Education works with different groups across the state.

These groups include:

• Students
• Teachers
• School leaders
• Nonprofit organisations
• Youth-development professionals
• Community leaders
• Researchers
• Policymakers
• Employers

The organisation uses information from these groups to understand where young people need help and which programmes can create useful results.

Readers interested in another leader combining professional experience with education-focused nonprofit work can explore Michael Haley’s business and foundation leadership.

Barbara Dalio’s Education

Barbara Dalio graduated from the University of Madrid.

Her official profile also states that she worked at the Whitney Museum in New York before beginning her long-term work in philanthropy.

Her later career developed around education, community organisations and the challenges faced by young people.

She did not begin this work by creating a large organisation immediately.

She first spent time visiting schools, speaking with educators and learning directly from students.

How Barbara Dalio Became Involved in Education

Barbara’s official founder story explains that she began becoming closely involved with Connecticut education more than a decade ago.

She visited an alternative high school in Norwalk and started volunteering there.

The students she met had abilities and ambitions, but many also faced difficult circumstances that made completing school harder.

This experience encouraged Barbara to learn more about the problems affecting students across Connecticut.

She spoke with:

• Students
• Teachers
• School counsellors
• Principals
• Community organisations
• Youth-development professionals

These conversations helped shape her approach.

Instead of assuming that one solution would work everywhere, she focused on understanding each problem before supporting a programme.

What Is Dalio Education?

Dalio Education is an organisation founded by Barbara Dalio.

It works across Connecticut to improve results for young people, particularly those who are at risk of leaving education or are already disconnected from school and employment.

The organisation supports public schools and educators through the Connecticut RISE Network.

It also invests in youth-serving nonprofit organisations through the Connecticut Opportunity Project.

According to its official website, Dalio Education has invested more than $150 million in its Connecticut work since 2015.

Readers can learn more through the official Dalio Education website.

How Dalio Education Works

Dalio Education combines funding with research and direct cooperation.

Its approach includes:

• Listening to young people
• Working with educators
• Studying education and employment data
• Supporting nonprofit organisations
• Building long-term partnerships
• Testing new ideas
• Measuring programme results
• Improving projects when evidence changes

The organisation says that people closest to a problem often understand it best.

This means students, educators and community organisations help shape the work instead of simply receiving instructions from a funding organisation.

Connecticut RISE Network

The Connecticut RISE Network is one of the major initiatives connected with Barbara Dalio’s education work.

It was founded in 2015 through a partnership involving Barbara and Connecticut educators.

RISE is now an independent nonprofit organisation.

Its mission is to help students graduate from high school with a clear plan and the skills needed for college or employment.

The network brings together:

• Teachers
• School counsellors
• Administrators
• School districts
• Education specialists

These groups use student information to identify problems early.

For example, a school may study attendance, course completion and academic progress to understand whether a student is falling behind.

Early action can help teachers provide support before the problem becomes more difficult.

How RISE Supports Students

The RISE Network helps schools focus on the complete journey through high school.

Important questions include:

• Is the student attending regularly?
• Is the student completing the required courses?
• Is the student on track to graduate?
• Does the student need additional academic support?
• Does the student have a plan after graduation?
• Is the student ready for college, training or employment?

RISE also allows educators from different schools to share ideas.

A successful method developed in one school may help students in another community.

The network’s official information says its different partnerships have reached dozens of high schools and thousands of students across Connecticut.

Connecticut Opportunity Project

Barbara also co-founded the Connecticut Opportunity Project.

The project is commonly called CTOP.

It operates as a social-investment fund supporting nonprofit organisations that work with young people who are disconnected from education and employment.

CTOP provides more than grants.

Its partner organisations can receive:

• Long-term operating support
• Organisational coaching
• Technical assistance
• Performance planning
• Help measuring results
• Support developing stronger internal systems

This approach is designed to help nonprofit organisations become stronger and more effective over time.

What Does Youth Disconnection Mean?

A disconnected young person may not be attending school and may also be unemployed.

Other young people may still be enrolled but face a serious risk of leaving education.

The reasons can be complex.

They may include:

• Housing problems
• Financial difficulty
• Limited transport
• Family responsibilities
• Health challenges
• Lack of employment experience
• Interrupted education
• Limited access to useful support

One programme may not be able to solve every problem.

This is why CTOP supports organisations that can provide different forms of education, mentoring, job preparation and practical assistance.

Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis

In 2023, Dalio Education published a major report called Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis.

The research examined young people between the ages of 14 and 26.

It found that approximately 119,000 young people in Connecticut were either disconnected or at risk of becoming disconnected from education and employment.

The figure represented around one in five people within the age group studied.

The report helped make the problem more visible to schools, government leaders, nonprofit organisations and employers.

It also showed that youth disconnection affects more than education.

It can influence:

• Employment
• Household income
• Public spending
• Health
• Housing
• Community safety
• The wider economy

Using Research to Guide Decisions

One of the strongest parts of Barbara Dalio’s leadership approach is the use of evidence.

Dalio Education studies information before deciding where to invest.

This reduces the risk of supporting a project only because it sounds impressive.

Useful research can help an organisation understand:

• How many young people need support
• Where they live
• Why they are leaving school
• Which services already exist
• Where gaps remain
• Which programmes produce measurable progress

Data does not replace conversations with students and educators.

Instead, it supports those conversations and helps leaders understand the size of the problem.

Supporting Teachers

Barbara Dalio’s work also includes support for public-school teachers.

In 2021, Dalio Education launched Teachers of Connecticut.

The online platform was designed to allow teachers to share their experiences in their own words.

The project highlighted:

• Why educators chose teaching
• The work required outside classroom hours
• The challenges they face
• The progress of their students
• The value teachers provide to communities

The platform followed conversations in which teachers said they often felt that their voices were missing from public discussions about education.

Workforce and Career Training

Dalio Education has expanded its work beyond traditional school support.

It also invests in programmes that help young people prepare for employment.

In June 2025, the organisation announced a $5.1 million contribution to Nuvance Health for an Academy for Career Readiness.

The initiative was designed to provide training and employment opportunities in healthcare for young people facing barriers to education and work.

The programme combines practical training with experience inside a major healthcare system.

Healthcare career pathways can include clinical and non-clinical work, such as:

• Patient support
• Administration
• Technology
• Medical equipment
• Facilities
• Customer services
• Health information

Why Employment Support Matters

Completing education is important, but young people also need a practical path into work.

A person may finish a training programme but still need help with:

• Finding suitable job openings
• Preparing a résumé
• Practising interviews
• Reaching the workplace
• Understanding professional expectations
• Building confidence
• Staying employed during early challenges

Effective workforce programmes connect education with real employment opportunities.

This is why Dalio Education works with healthcare providers, nonprofits, schools and employers.

Leadership Through Collaboration

Barbara Dalio’s work is based heavily on partnerships.

Education problems are too large for one organisation to solve alone.

A foundation may provide funding but still need:

• Teachers who understand students
• Nonprofits with community relationships
• Employers offering career opportunities
• Researchers analysing data
• Local leaders coordinating services
• Government agencies supporting public systems

Collaboration allows each organisation to contribute its strongest skills.

This approach is also useful in business leadership, where strong results often depend on combining different areas of expertise.

Readers can also explore how Mary Perkins helped build Specsavers through long-term partnership and customer focus.

Learning From a Failed Partnership

In 2019, Dalio Philanthropies and the Connecticut state government announced the Partnership for Connecticut.

The proposed project aimed to raise $300 million, including $100 million from the state, $100 million from Dalio Philanthropies and another $100 million from additional donors.

The partnership ended in 2020.

Reporting at the time identified disagreements and concerns involving transparency, governance and oversight.

The experience provides an important leadership lesson.

A large budget and ambitious goal are not enough.

Public-private projects also require:

• Clear governance
• Defined responsibilities
• Transparency
• Public trust
• Strong communication
• Effective oversight

Barbara continued supporting Connecticut education through Dalio Education after the partnership ended.

Awards and Recognition

Barbara Dalio has received several honours for her education and youth-development work.

Her official profile lists recognition including:

• Distinguished Friend of Education Award
• Community Care Award from the City of New Haven
• Community Support Award from the Meriden Board of Education
• 2024 CEA Excellence in Education Advocacy Award
• 2025 Anne S. Leonhardt Award
• 2025 Champions of Children recognition

These honours reflect her work with educators, students and nonprofit organisations across Connecticut.

What Leaders Can Learn From Barbara Dalio

Listen before acting

The people experiencing a problem often have information that cannot be found in a report.

Use evidence

Research and performance information help leaders make better decisions.

Support organisations, not only projects

A nonprofit needs trained people, stable systems and long-term resources to create lasting results.

Build partnerships

Complex problems normally require cooperation between several groups.

Connect education with employment

Young people need both learning opportunities and a clear path toward meaningful work.

Learn from setbacks

When a project fails, leaders should understand what went wrong and improve their future approach.

Focus on long-term results

Education and employment challenges cannot normally be solved through one short campaign.

Why Is Barbara Dalio Known?

Barbara Dalio is known for:

• Founding Dalio Education
• Leading education philanthropy in Connecticut
• Co-founding the Connecticut RISE Network
• Co-founding the Connecticut Opportunity Project
• Supporting schools and educators
• Funding workforce-development programmes
• Commissioning research into youth disconnection
• Working with nonprofit and community organisations

Her professional identity is built around education, opportunity and practical support for young people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Barbara Dalio?

Barbara Dalio is an education philanthropist and nonprofit leader.

What is Barbara Dalio’s current role?

She is the founder and CEO of Dalio Education and a co-founder and director of Dalio Philanthropies.

What does Dalio Education do?

Dalio Education works with schools, educators, nonprofits and communities to improve education and employment outcomes for young people in Connecticut.

What is the Connecticut RISE Network?

It is an independent nonprofit network that helps schools support students through high school and prepare them for college or careers.

What is the Connecticut Opportunity Project?

It is a social-investment initiative that supports nonprofit organisations serving young people who are disconnected from education and employment.

What was Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis?

It was a research report examining the number and experiences of young people at risk of becoming disconnected from school and work.

How does Dalio Education support teachers?

Its work has included educator partnerships, professional learning support and the Teachers of Connecticut storytelling platform.

Does Dalio Education support job training?

Yes. Its work includes programmes designed to help young people prepare for careers in sectors such as healthcare.

Final Thoughts

Barbara Dalio has developed a clear leadership role in education and youth development.

Through Dalio Education, she works with schools, educators, researchers, nonprofit organisations and communities across Connecticut.

Her main initiatives include the Connecticut RISE Network and Connecticut Opportunity Project.

Her work also includes research into youth disconnection, support for teachers and investment in career-training programmes.

The strongest lesson from her career is that funding alone is not enough.

Long-term improvement requires listening, evidence, strong organisations, responsible governance and cooperation between people who understand the problem.