James Liou (he/him) is a principal consultant at FG Strategy Advisors. He works with philanthropic and nonprofit leaders to support the use of evidence to identify powerful actions, promote continuous learning, and to sharpen strategy for their organizations. He loves all things teaching and learning, and the ways in which skillfully designed learning environments can be transformative for leaders, their organizations, and the communities they serve.

Prior to launching FG Strategy Advisors, James was a Senior Vice President of Impact and Design at the Institute of Nonprofit Practice, and prior to that, a Senior Director at Equal Measure, where he led project teams that provided research, evaluation, and strategic program consultation for foundations, social sector nonprofits, and place-based, systems change initiatives. He was also a program officer at the William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia, where he developed and led a $20 million K–12 education grantmaking portfolio.

Previous to these roles, James spent 15 years in the education sector, including several years as a high school classroom teacher and instructional coach, before leading the district-wide History and Social Studies Department in Boston Public Schools. He was also involved in national conversations around teaching and learning, including work with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, selection as a Teaching Ambassador Fellow for the U.S. Department of Education, and service as an inaugural member of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council.

James continues to provide national and local leadership in philanthropy. He is the inaugural recipient of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) Legacy Award and an Annie E. Casey Foundation Children and Family Fellow, focusing on results-based leadership.

James holds a bachelor’s degree from William and Mary and a Master of Arts in teaching from Brown University.