Washington DC-Baltimore Area
Accomplished and mission-driven education leader with 20+ years of experience designing, managing, and evaluating large-scale education programs across the US, Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Deep expertise in evidence-based approaches to foundational learning (literacy and numeracy), teacher professional development, curriculum and assessment reform, inclusive education, education policy & system strengthening, youth and workforce development, disabilities/inclusive education, girls’ education, education in conflict and fragile states, early childhood, and educational technology—delivering measurable improvements in learning outcomes and education equity. Proven ability to partner with donors, ministries of education, implementing partners, and local stakeholders to design and scale evidence-based solutions rooted in local ownership and systems alignment. Extensive experience in digital learning and eLearning, including the development and deployment of open-source and mobile-enabled platforms, digital content, and remote teacher training solutions across low-resource contexts. Drive efforts to explore and integrate artificial intelligence into global education programs—leveraging AI to enhance instructional tools, improve efficiency, and strengthen adaptive learning and data use for decision-making. Skilled in managing multimillion-dollar donor-funded portfolios (USAID, FCDO, World Bank, UNICEF) with strong grantmaking and investment oversight experience, including technical leadership, performance monitoring, and adaptive learning. Effective cross-cultural leader and collaborator with a record of building equitable partnerships, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and guiding teams through complex program design and change management processes. Served on the steering committee for the global Education Equity Research Initiative and co-chaired the Initiative’s Disability Task Team. Served as the Director of Research and then Director of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, providing leadership in the design and implementation of integrated, responsive, and effective information dissemination strategies to a national network of federally-funded technical assistance and dissemination centers. Publication and presentation record includes more than 70 articles, reports, working papers and presentations. Ed.D. and Ed.M. from Harvard University, M.A. from Boston University, and B.S. from Cornell University.
Establish the intellectual and evidence-based foundation for the design, implementation, and evaluation of results-oriented international development research and programming across education, health, and workforce development. Lead and develop the network of staff based in the US and internationally who provide technical assistance and quality oversight across a full range of funded programs. Provide direct technical assistance and capacity building to national and local ministries. Lead/participate in select global communities of practice in the areas of disabilities, education in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS), and ICT. Provide direction and support to all technical teams to develop specialized and shared knowledge of effective education practices, conceptual frameworks and practical tools and approaches, and capacity building strategies. Encourage and support interaction and collaboration among technical teams to develop cross-subsector competencies, including collaborative workplan development and technical review. Encourage and develop a vibrant climate of intellectual rigor. Facilitate and enable development of a broad community of practice among the education professionals in projects, regional offices, and the HQ with both deep knowledge of specialty areas and core competence in the essential knowledge relevant to other FHI 360 education initiatives. Advise and collaborate with the Research and Evaluation (R&E) unit to ensure that the Global Education, Employment and Engagement research agenda reflects and advances critical issues relevant to our primary areas of programmatic engagement. Work closely with the Regional Directors, Business Development, and proposal leads to produce successful, high quality proposals. Represent FHI 360 at professional forums, external events and builds relationships with donors and partner organizations.
Provide direct technical input and oversight to the USAID/Kosovo’s After School Support for Teens (ASSET) program, designed to increase employability of Kosovo’s in-school youth (Grades 9-12).
Led an integrated team of cross-sectoral technical experts (Education, Gender, Health, Livelihoods, Research & Evaluation, Social & Behavioral Change) for an innovative PEPFAR-funded program to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in adolescent girls and young women.
Managed all components of a U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Program (OSEP)-funded center serving State Education Agencies, district and school-level administrators, teachers, parents, carers, and related personnel with evidence-based information and resources to support the care and education of children with disabilities.
Led the research activities for the center including the identification, evaluation, and synthesis of educational research pertaining to children with disabilities. Collaborated with national network of leading researchers and practitioners in the field of special education to promote scientifically-based research and practice.
Produced educational content and graphics for the award-winning StudyWorks! product family of educational software. The StudyWorks! line emerged to lead the high-school math and science software market in sales during my tenure. Created and managed online eLearning catalog in math and science which served an international body of students and professionals. Led a team of Harvard and MIT students in the collection of data for innovative hand-writing recognition software.
Explored the relationships of racially integrated groups of jazz musicians. Uncovered principles of similarity and connection that transcend music and contribute to the formation of constructive and prosocial relationships. Findings hold considerable power to inform and transform educational and other institutions committed to meeting demands presented by a diverse and ever-expanding multicultural society.
Critical Issues in Education – Designed and taught a required doctoral-level course addressing critical issues related to educational technology. Students explored the implications of recent developments in information technology on the roles of institutions and individuals involved in education. The impact of technology on contemporary educational issues such as school reform, equity and access, curriculum content and design, telecommunications, and computer-based evaluation was explored.