Craig Paxton is the Executive Director and cofounder of Axium Education, a community-based non-profit dedicated to improving educational outcomes in rural South African schools. With a background as a chemical engineer, early on in his career, Craig found "true love" in the rural classroom.

A Fulbright Scholar and Reynolds Foundation Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University, he earned his PhD in Education from the University of Cape Town, where he was also a Sasol Inzalo Foundation Research Fellow. Craig brings a global perspective—having studied and worked in Canada, the US, the UK, and South Africa—combined with a deep belief in the potential that resides in rural children and youth.