Charles Mitchell

Charles Mitchell

President & CEO

Charles Mitchell is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Commonwealth Foundation.

Charles grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs in a family of railroaders, teachers, and small business owners. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania’s public schools, Bucknell University, the Koch Associate Program, and the Claremont Institute’s Publius Fellowship.

Charles first became associated with the Commonwealth Foundation when he was a college newspaper editor under attack for defending free speech. He became a Commonwealth Foundation investor in 2006, joined the staff as Chief Operations Officer in 2010, and became CEO in 2016. During that time, he has been honored with the State Policy Network’s Overton Award and the Heritage Foundation’s Distinguished Intern Alumni Award and recognized as one of City & State Pennsylvania Forty Under 40 Rising Stars.

In addition to his Commonwealth Foundation responsibilities, Charles serves as an elder of his family’s church, a founder of Threefold Schoolhouse: An Acton Academy, president of the Open Discourse Coalition, and a board member of Americans for Fair Treatment and the Franklin News Foundation.

Charles lives in the Harrisburg area with his wife and their four daughters.

Public Union Democracy

Public Sector Unions Aren’t Doing Well

  • Charles Mitchell
  • December 28, 2023

Originally published at The American Spectator Union strikes are all the rage these days. From automobile workers to television writers, labor strikes have dominated the news cycle this year —…

Media Hit

Read More: Public Sector Unions Aren’t Doing Well

Education

A Good Education Isn’t a Perk. It’s a Lifeline.

  • Charles Mitchell
  • July 7, 2023

Originally published at Delaware Valley Journal What would you do to help your children succeed? Would you advocate for them, pushing to change the broken systems that keep them…

Media Hit

Read More: A Good Education Isn’t a Perk. It’s a Lifeline.

Education

Josh Shapiro Chooses Teachers Unions Over Students

  • Charles Mitchell
  • July 7, 2023

Originally published in the Wall Street Journal Nancy Pelosi infamously stated that to find out what ObamaCare contained, Congress had to pass the bill. This week, Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh…

Media Hit

Read More: Josh Shapiro Chooses Teachers Unions Over Students

Public Union Democracy

Teacher Unions Pick Politics Over Students and Teachers

  • Charles Mitchell
  • April 18, 2023

Originally published at The American Spectator There’s a war brewing in education — and it’s not just on parents. It’s on the teachers themselves — and the same unions…

Commentary

Read More: Teacher Unions Pick Politics Over Students and Teachers

Fairness

Public-Sector Unions Struggle to Maintain Influence, Membership

  • Charles Mitchell
  • October 11, 2022

Originally published at Newsweek Some observers argue the labor movement in America is “having a moment,” but for the four largest public-sector workers’ unions—AFSCME, SEIU, NEA, and AFT—the “moment” is…

Media Hit

Read More: Public-Sector Unions Struggle to Maintain Influence, Membership

Prosperity

Pennsylvania’s losing economically to other states

  • Charles Mitchell
  • August 3, 2022

Originally published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Like so many Pennsylvanians, I’ve had to say goodbye to another dear friend who left our commonwealth on the promise of work. The…

Media Hit

Read More: Pennsylvania’s losing economically to other states

Op-Ed: The last line of defense against a governor’s overreach

  • Charles Mitchell
  • January 19, 2021

Pennsylvanians understand the dangers of COVID-19. Sadly, they also fear how Wolf’s unilateral powers imperil their future. That’s why the state Legislature, whose members just heard from their constituents during…

Commentary

Read More: Op-Ed: The last line of defense against a governor’s overreach