Calen is a research analyst for the Center on Reinventing Public Education. He studied social studies education at Appalachian State University (2011) and went on to teach middle school in Charlotte, NC, for 7 years. He transitioned into research after earning an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2019). Since then, he has worked as an associate in research at Duke University and as a research analyst at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. He also completed the Strategic Data Project Fellowship via a placement with ImpactTulsa, part of the StriveTogether collective action network.