Kristin Umland Named CEO of Illustrative Mathematics®

Aug. 4, 2025 — The Board of Directors of Illustrative Mathematics (IM) has named Dr. Kristin Umland as the organization’s new chief executive officer. Umland, who previously served as president, succeeds her cofounder and longtime collaborator, Dr. William McCallum. McCallum will continue supporting the organization as a senior advisor through the fall of 2026.

Umland has been instrumental in building IM from a university project into a nationally recognized nonprofit supporting millions of students and educators. As president, she led the development of IM’s classroom-centered, problem-based math curriculum and professional learning offerings. Before joining IM full time, Umland spent nearly two decades on the mathematics faculty at the University of New Mexico, where her work focused on mathematics education research, teacher preparation, and policy.

“Building Illustrative Mathematics with Bill has been the adventure of a lifetime,” Umland said. “We founded the organization because we believed all kids deserve to learn math in a way that makes sense and sticks. Bill helped make that belief real in classrooms across the country. I’m honored to carry that work forward.”

Umland’s contributions to the field have been recognized with the Louise Hay Award from the Association for Women in Mathematics and the Award for Impact on Teaching and Learning from the American Mathematical Society.

As CEO, Umland will continue to deepen IM’s commitment to supporting educators and improving math instruction at scale.

“Kristin is going to take Illustrative Mathematics to the next level,” said McCallum. “She gets the math. She gets the pedagogy. And she has a vision for what the organization can become. I—and the Board—couldn’t be more confident in her leadership.”

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Illustrative Mathematics is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where all learners know, use, and enjoy mathematics. We provide access to high-quality instructional materials, professional learning, and a community to support all students’ mathematical growth.