MetaMetrics Ushers in Next Phase of Growth With New Leadership and Renewed Strategic Vision

Seasoned education leader Nadja Young joins new CEO Chris Minnich to strengthen global brand and advance universal measures for reading and math

DURHAM, N.C., Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MetaMetrics^®, global leader in literacy and numeracy measurement, today announced the appointment of Nadja Young as its first Chief Brand Officer, effective December 2025. Young joins newly appointed CEO Chris Minnich, who assumed leadership in October, in shaping a new era of strategic growth and expanded influence for the 35-year-old company.

Together, Minnich, who recently held leadership positions at HMH and NWEA, and Young bring decades of experience leading large-scale initiatives in global organizations, public sector environments, and education agencies. Their combined leadership signals MetaMetrics' strengthened commitment to expanding its role in literacy and numeracy measurement, investing in innovation, and deepening partnerships across the education ecosystem.

As Chief Brand Officer, Young will lead marketing, communications, and government affairs to increase brand awareness through cohesive messaging, strategic partnerships, and external engagement. She will work closely with policymakers, partners, and state education agencies to advance MetaMetrics' mission to provide universal measures that serve as a nationwide standard to guide teaching and learning, support accountability frameworks, and improve student outcomes in reading and mathematics.

"Nadja's combination of policy expertise, strategic leadership, and deep understanding of the education technology landscape makes her uniquely suited to help guide our next phase of growth," said Chris Minnich, CEO of MetaMetrics. "I've known Nadja for nearly a decade, and I've long admired her ability to bridge data, policy, and innovation to meaningfully improve outcomes for students. As we build a more expansive future for MetaMetrics, her leadership will play a critical role in strengthening our brand and positioning our measures at the forefront of national and global education efforts."

Young joins MetaMetrics from SAS, a $3B global data analytics and AI company, where she led their US Education Practice and most recently served as Senior Director of the State & Local Government and Education Practice (SLED). In that role, she led a national team delivering AI and analytics solutions across government agencies and education systems, requiring scaling strategy, driving revenue growth, and navigating complex policy environments. Over more than 20 years in government and education, she has been recognized for delivering data-driven insights with actionable strategy, supporting statewide transformation efforts, and accelerating innovation across the public sector.

A former National Board Certified teacher, curriculum developer, and policy advisor, Young has extensive experience working with state chiefs, governors, higher education leaders, and education agencies nationwide. She served as a visioning panel member for the 2025 NAEP Mathematics Framework, representing business and industry perspectives in shaping the future of K–12 mathematics expectations. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI).

"I am honored to join MetaMetrics at such an exciting moment of growth and possibility. Chris Minnich is widely admired for bold and clear leadership. He is dedicated to connecting the dots between where a student is—and what they need next—to increase their academic outcomes and career opportunities. His vision for MetaMetrics and the role universal measures can play in advancing learning was a major reason I chose to join this team. With education standards and instructional expectations shifting so quickly, Lexile and Quantile measures provide the stability and guidance that systems need to support learning progress. I'm excited to help elevate the MetaMetrics brand, increase our impact, and work alongside the partners and educators who count on our measure every day."

This leadership transition marks a defining moment for MetaMetrics, developer of the widely adopted Lexile^® Framework for Reading and Quantile^® Framework for Mathematics, as it moves into emerging fields of career readiness, AI-enabled learning insights, and global assessment frameworks. Minnich, Young, and the executive leadership team will work together to expand MetaMetrics' reach, grow its offerings, and strengthen its position as the global standard for educational measurement.

About MetaMetrics®

MetaMetrics is an award-winning edtech company that provides the global standard for measuring literacy and numeracy. The Lexile® and Quantile® Frameworks connect students' reading and math abilities to the complexity of content on the same scale, making learning more personalized. Millions of learners receive our measures, turning individual moments of assessment into meaningful connections that empower learning. For over 40 years, our research-based, consistent, and actionable measures have been trusted by educators, publishers, assessment providers, and policymakers worldwide. Leveraging the most advanced language models and learning theory, MetaMetrics continues to innovate solutions for a wide range of applications, including early reading, career-connected learning, and literacy frameworks for non-English languages. Lexile and Quantile measures increase engagement with learning across the education ecosystem, inspiring everyone to build life skills for a brighter tomorrow. Learn more at MetaMetrics.com.

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SOURCE MetaMetrics