Mar 18, 2015

Sign Up to receive Boston Business Journal's Morning Edition and Afternoon Edition newsletters and breaking news alerts. Sign Up Baker names Chris Gabrieli chairman of Mass Board of Higher Education Mar 18, 2015, 6:37am EDT Send this to a friend Thank you for sharing. Your email has been sent. Email address of friend (insert comma between multiple addresses): Your email address: Email  |  Twitter Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday named Christopher Gabrieli , who was on the 2002 Democratic ticket with gubernatorial candidate Shannon O'Brien and lost to Republicans Mitt Romney and Kerry Healey , as chairman of the state Board of Higher Education. He replaces Charles Desmond , whose term as board chair ended at the beginning of the year. A partner emeritus at Bessemer Venture Partners, Gabrieli has spearheaded a number of education initiatives. He has helped found the nonprofits Massachusetts 2020 and the National Center on Time & Learning, for example, which focus on expanded learning time. He also co-founded the nonprofit Empower Schools and is a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In 2007, Gabrieli co-founded Boston-based Interise, with a $300,000 investment over three years. The nonprofit focuses on its "StreetWise MBA" program — a nine-month course offering entrepreneurs classes on business development and strategy, financial management, marketing, human resources, access to capital, and government contract. Gabrieli and his wife donated $500 to former Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley , the Democrat challenger for governor who ran against Baker, according to State House News. The couple also gave matching $5,000 donations to the Democratic Party, State House News reported. Non-Profits, Philanthropy, Higher Education