Joe Gauld is the founder of the Hyde Organization, a network of public and private schools recognized as the forerunner in character education. His efforts in building support for educational reform and his unique approach to character development have captured the attention of prominent media sources, such as 60 Minutes , 20/20 , Today , and The New York Times .

Joe was a key figure in founding two private boarding schools in New England and three award-winning, inner-city public schools in Bronx, New York, Washington DC, and New Haven, Connecticut. His success in motivating teenagers toward pursuing individual excellence in learning through an integrated character development curriculum that includes parental involvement have earned him the reputation as one of the foremost authorities in delivering effective character-building programs in schools across the country. Today, he serves as a consultant to schools and business organizations, while also continuing to mentor parents and families. He founded the Hyde Foundation in 1989, whose mission is to deliver the Hyde Schools character concept to interested schools and communities nationwide.

Joe’s prolific career in education spans nearly six decades and continues to maintain momentum, attracting the attention of publishers and audiences nationally. The author of the books, Character First and Hyde: Preparation for Life and numerous articles published in periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post , and The Boston Globe , his writing and public speaking draws on both his successful pursuits and challenges in creating an educational model focused on student effort, attitude, and character as opposed to the current model, which he asserts is built upon achievement. Joe is currently writing his third book.

Joe was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on July 25, 1927. He grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and attended high school in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In 1947, Joe was admitted to Bowdoin College after a short stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II. During his college years, he spent one summer hitchhiking across America and another as a camp counselor, where he found his love for teaching. He graduated from Bowdoin in 1950, with a degree in Economics. He later attended Boston University and earned an MA in Mathematics.

Joe currently lives in Bath, Maine, where he founded the first Hyde School, a boarding school, in 1966. A strong believer in sharing his knowledge, he participates in educator trainings and parent workshops at Hyde Schools and many other schools and communities with which Hyde partners. Through this involvement, educators and parents are able to launch and build upon character development efforts.

As the senior member of the Gauld family, Joe has enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren graduate from Hyde Schools. In his leisure time, he is an avid golfer.