A Vision That Redefines Global Education
Before she became one of the most visionary figures in international education, Elaina Cohen founded Education Without Borders (EWB) — a global organization built on a simple but revolutionary belief: education is restorative justice.
Through EWB, Cohen created a covenant between nations, investors, and communities — a bridge that unites equity and excellence across borders. The initiative aims to build and acquire high-performing schools, expand access for underserved students, and restore the integrity of education as both a right and a responsibility.
But to understand the depth of that mission, one must return to where it all began — the classrooms of Jamaica, where the foundation of her leadership was first formed.
The Jamaican Blueprint: Foundations of Character and Leadership
Mt. Alvernia Preparatory: Faith and Formation
At Mt. Alvernia Preparatory, Cohen learned that intellect must be guided by virtue. Morning devotions were not mere routine but formation — instilling reverence, structure, and self-discipline that became the moral compass of her leadership.
Supreme Preparatory: Refinement and Identity
Under the refined leadership of Mrs. Perrier, a woman of French descent and Jamaican resolve, Supreme Preparatory transformed early lessons into personal identity. Excellence was not optional; it was expected. Precision, posture, and principle became daily habits that would later define Cohen’s professional and executive life.
Westwood High School: Discipline into Destiny
When her father enrolled her at Westwood High School, led by the Honorable Ivan Logan, he entrusted her to an institution renowned for grace, intellect, and composure. Westwood turned discipline into destiny. Within its storied halls, Cohen learned that leadership is not declared — it is demonstrated.
Together, these three institutions — Mt. Alvernia, Supreme, and Westwood — did more than educate a young girl. They built a woman capable of shaping educational systems around the world.
From Local Lessons to Global Leadership
Over the next two decades, Elaina Cohen led enrollment and revenue operations for institutions serving more than 65,000 students globally. She managed half-billion-dollar portfolios, engineered record-breaking enrollment gains, and guided international education groups through multi-continent growth strategies.
Yet her leadership was never about numbers alone — it was about human restoration.
Cohen became a lifeline for students from war-torn and politically unstable regions such as Cameroon and Kenya, helping displaced learners find new academic homes. Her partnerships with global agencies and NGOs secured long-term educational funding for marginalized communities in India, Ghana, Jamaica, and the UAE.
The Birth of Education Without Borders
Out of this deep humanitarian conviction, Education Without Borders was born — not as an idea, but as a covenant.
The organization stands as both an investment and an act of moral stewardship, merging the precision of private equity with the compassion of global education.
EWB’s vision extends beyond school walls. Its mission is to reimagine entire ecosystems — ensuring every school it builds or acquires is not only financially sustainable but spiritually restorative. From Jamaica to Africa, EWB seeks to unlock potential through innovation, discipline, and dignity — values rooted in Cohen’s own Jamaican upbringing.
Expanding the Mission: Fly Higher Ed
Alongside EWB, Cohen leads Fly Higher Ed, a consulting platform that helps institutions worldwide grow enrollment, strengthen brand value, and build resilience in an era of disruption.
Together, Education Without Borders and Fly Higher Ed form a continuum — one nonprofit, one for-profit — both grounded in the same principle: education should empower, not exclude.
Rebuilding Hope and Resilience
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which devastated parts of Jamaica’s educational infrastructure, Cohen’s mission deepened. Through EWB, she is mobilizing the Jamaican diaspora and global partners to rebuild schools with technology-integrated design and climate resilience.
This effort stands as proof that Jamaica’s brilliance can not only withstand catastrophe but also lead the world in educational recovery and innovation.
A Legacy Rooted in Restoration
As her colleagues often say, Elaina Cohen is “the woman Jamaica built.”
Faith from Mt. Alvernia, form from Supreme, and refinement from Westwood now extend to the world through a covenant of restoration.
Education Without Borders is more than an organization. It is Jamaica’s gift to the world — a living testament that when education begins with conviction, it never ends with borders.
