CEO of ed tech provider Stride out after 5+ years

After more than five years leading Reston-based for-profit education tech company Stride, James Rhyu is out as chairman and CEO. He’s been succeeded by Robert Knowling, who previously sat on the company’s board.

Additionally, Stride appointed Steven Fink, who joined the board in 2003, to serve as chair. The change was effective Wednesday, according to a Thursday news release.

Founded in 2000 as K12, Stride offers career-learning services for middle and high school curricula, programs for businesses and the military, and professional skills training in healthcare and technology for adult learners.

“As we look to the future with a focus on accelerating the execution of our roadmap and driving long-term growth, the board determined that now is the right time to transition leadership,” Fink said in a statement. “Demand for alternative education solutions remains strong, and Stride’s differentiated platform is well positioned to continue meeting that need.”

The company reported $2.4 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue, up from just over $2 billion the previous year. However, Stride adjusted its revenue forecast in October 2025, when it said problems with two software launches in summer 2025 led up to 15,000 students to unenroll from programming.

Rhyu joined Stride in 2013 as chief financial officer.

Knowling, who joined the Stride board in 2018, brings more than three decades of executive leadership and board experience across the technology and education sectors. From 2001 to 2005, Knowling served as CEO of NYC Leadership Academy, a nonprofit working to create high-quality educational leadership.  The company rebranded to The Leadership Academy in 2020. From 2005 to 2009, Knowling was CEO of Telwares, a California-based technology consulting firm.

“Bob is a proven executive with significant technology and public education expertise,” Fink said in a statement. “He has a strong track record of attracting and building high-performing teams and leading companies through periods of high growth.”

Since 2009, Knowling has served as chairman of Eagles Landing Partners, a management consulting firm he founded. He is based in New York, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Knowling also sits on several boards including California-based Raken, a cloud-based, mobile, daily reporting and field management platform for contractors, and Texas-based CECO Environmental, an industrial technology company.

Additionally on Thursday, Stride named Brian Shepherd to the board. Until May, Shepherd served as president and CEO of CSG, a Colorado-based software development company.

Stride was trading at $84.99 Thursday afternoon, down 13% from Wednesday closing.