{"id":10,"date":"2023-05-23T19:36:29","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T19:36:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jhu-soe.dev.fastspot.com\/edpolicy\/our-team\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T20:38:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T20:38:01","slug":"our-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/education.jhu.edu\/edpolicy\/about\/our-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Steiner <\/b><\/h2>\n

Executive Director <\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"David Steiner is the executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and professor of education at Johns Hopkins University. In 2020, he finished serving as a member of the Maryland State Board of Education and the Maryland Commission for Innovation and Excellence in Education. He currently serves on the board of the Relay Graduate School of Education. Most recently, he was appointed to the Practitioner Council at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He previously served on the board of the Core Knowledge Foundation, Urban Teachers, as commissioner of education for New York State, as the Klara and Larry Silverstein Dean at the Hunter College School of Education, and as director of education at the National Endowment for the Arts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As NYS commissioner, Steiner took a lead role in the state\u2019s successful $700 million Race to the Top application to support the redesign of state standards, assessments, and teacher certification requirements. His insistence on including major funding for curricula in that grant led to the launch of EngageNY, the nation\u2019s most consulted free online curriculum resource.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Steiner consults regularly with the federal government, state education leaders, educational reform organizations, and universities. He has addressed audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and authored books, book chapters, and more than fifty articles. His most recent book, <\/span>A Nation at Thought: Restoring Wisdom in America\u2019s Schools<\/span><\/i>, was published by Rowman & Littlefield in March of 2023.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Steiner holds degrees from Harvard University (PhD in political science), Balliol College, and Oxford University (BA and MA). Contact David Steiner at <\/span>d.steiner@jhu.edu<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ashley Berner <\/b><\/h2>\n

Director<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Ashley Berner is the director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and associate professor of education. She served previously as the Deputy Director of the CUNY Institute for Education Policy and as an administrator at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, University of Virginia. Palgrave MacMillan released Pluralism and American Public Education: No One Way to School (2017), and Harvard Education Press published, Educational Pluralism and American Democracy: Exposure versus Indoctrination, in early 2024.<\/p>\n

Berner has published articles, book chapters, and op-eds on citizenship formation, academic outcomes, pluralism, and the political theories of education in different national contexts. She led the design of the Institute\u2019s School Culture 360\u2122 and ELA and Social Studies Knowledge Maps\u2122. Her teaching experience took place in a Jewish pre-school, an Episcopal secondary school, and an open university in Louisiana; she currently advises doctoral students at Johns Hopkins University.<\/p>\n

Berner represents the Institute\u2019s work across the country and consults regularly with international, federal, and state-level agencies, non-governmental organizations, and school systems. She held a five-year fellowship at the Center for the Study of Law & Religion at Emory University School of Law and currently serves as an advisor to the Educating for American Democracy project, the Johns Hopkins Undergraduate Debate Program, and CivXNow!\u2019s Research and Best Practices Affinity Group, and holds a fellowship at the Mercatus Pluralism and Civil Exchange Program.<\/p>\n

Berner holds degrees from Oxford University (MLitt and DPhil in Modern History) and Davidson College (Honors AB). Contact Ashley Berner at <\/span>Ashley.Berner@jhu.edu<\/span><\/a> and @BernerEd.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alanna Bjorklund <\/b><\/h2>\n

<\/b>Director of Research and Assistant Professor<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"Alanna Bjorklund is the director of research at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and assistant professor of education at Johns Hopkins University. She previously served as a research fellow and an elementary and middle school teacher. Bjorklund’s research focuses on the impact of teachers and support provided to teachers, including training and curriculum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bjorklund holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University (PhD and MA in economics), City College of New York (MS), and the University of Washington\/Seattle (BA in international studies). Contact Alanna Bjorklund at <\/span>abjorkl1@jhu.edu<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Angela R. Watson <\/b><\/h2>\n

Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Professor<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"AngelaAngela Watson is a senior research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and assistant professor of education at Johns Hopkins University. Her research focuses on alternative methods of education, with a focus on homeschooling, learning pods, and microschools. She is the creator of the Homeschool Hub<\/a> and the director of the Homeschool Research Lab<\/a>, both housed within the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watson holds degrees from the University of Arkansas (PhD in education policy and BA in elementary education) and Harding University (MAT). She also holds a graduate certificate in STEM education and is a certified teacher. Contact Angela Watson at <\/span>awatso43@jhu.edu.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Kecia Jackson<\/b><\/h2>\n

Program Manager<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"Kecia Jackson is the program manager for the School Culture 360\u2122 survey at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. In this role, she provides outreach to new partner districts and states; educates interested parties about the value and importance of this unique survey tool; manages the process of fielding the survey; and coordinates with IEP\u2019s research team to study long-term effects and trend lines. Previously, Jackson has designed and led virtual education initiatives in higher education. Most recently, she managed social and emotional learning programs at Western Governors University.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jackson holds degrees from Capella University (PhD in professional studies in education), the University of Phoenix (MA in adult education and distance learning), the College of Notre Dame (BA in English), and Baltimore City Community College (AA in business administration). Contact Kecia Jackson at kjackson18@jhu.edu.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Carol Macedonia<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

Senior Research Fellow<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"Carol Macedonia is the senior research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. She works primarily with private schools in Florida and leads outreach regarding the need for a strong curriculum and coherent school culture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Macedonia has committed her professional life to the teaching and learning of both children and adults. For the past nine years, she has served as the vice president of the Office of Student Learning for Step Up for Students, the nation’s largest tax-credit scholarship program for private school tuition. She leads a team of highly qualified educators who oversee the development of work systems, assisting both schools and families in establishing and maintaining structures, conditions, and processes to sustain collaborative partnerships that ensure children’s academic, social, and emotional success. Previously, she spent over 35 years in teaching, administrative, and professorial roles in public school education, and she co-authored and published the book <\/span>A Districtwide Approach to Staff and Student Learning<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Macedonia holds degrees from the University of South Florida (PhD) and the University of Florida (MA and BA). Contact Carol Macedonia at <\/span>cmacedo3@jhu.edu.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Amy Fuller <\/b><\/h2>\n

Director of Knowledge Maps<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"Amy Fuller is the director of Knowledge Maps for the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. In this role, she has substantially expanded the reach and depth of IEP\u2019s curriculum work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fuller brings more than 20 years of K\u201312 teaching experience, mostly in the humanities, and has worked in public, charter, and private schools. Prior to joining IEP, she worked specifically with schools and companies developing and analyzing curricular materials aligned to high-quality rubrics, standards, and assessments.<\/span><\/p>\n

She holds degrees from Towson University (MS in instructional technology) and Loyola University (BA in history with a minor in secondary education). Contact Amy Fuller at <\/span>mfulle17@jhu.edu.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Helen Thornton <\/b><\/h2>\n

Finance Manager<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"Helen Thornton is the finance manager for the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. Prior to joining IEP, she worked in the Johns Hopkins School of Education’s business office for almost 20 years. She has held a variety of finance positions; most recently, she was the research services analyst, responsible for processing and managing grants for the Center for Technology in Education and the Public Safety and Leadership Center.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thornton holds a degree from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School (Executive Certificate in Financial Management). Contact Helen Thornton at <\/span>hthornt1@jhu.edu.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Christy Batts<\/b><\/h2>\n

Senior Research Analyst<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/span>Christy Batts is a senior research analyst at the Johns Hopkins University Institute for Education Policy. In this role, she regularly collaborates with nonprofits, public education agencies, and private institutions to conduct research initiatives. Prior to this position, she was a graduate research assistant at North Carolina State University and worked on projects concerning school turnaround initiatives, teacher compensation, and special education identification.<\/p>\n

Batts is also a doctoral candidate in the Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis program at North Carolina State University and a graduate student research fellow for the Johns Hopkins Homeschool Research Lab. Her research agenda centers around the intersection of school choice policies, public education resources, and parent perceptions. She published the first empirical study focusing on the experiences of Hispanic and Latina homeschool parents and most recently a study examining parents’ perceptions of magnet schools.<\/p>\n

She holds a degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (BS in political science) and a certificate in policy analysis. Contact Christy Batts at christybatts@jhu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tuba Gezer<\/b><\/h2>\n

Senior Research Analyst<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/span>Tuba Gezer is a senior research analyst at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. Her work focuses on educational measurement, assessment, and applied quantitative research, with an emphasis on issues of equity and access for English learners, students with disabilities, and other historically underserved student populations.<\/p>\n

At the Institute, Gezer contributes to research and evaluation projects examining curriculum, assessment systems, and instructional practices across K\u201312 settings. Her work includes survey design, large-scale data analysis, and evaluation of assessment tools used by states, districts, and partner organizations. She brings expertise in analyzing complex datasets and translating research findings into actionable guidance for policymakers and practitioners.<\/p>\n

Gezer holds degrees from University of North Carolina at Charlotte (PhD in educational research, measurement, and evaluation), Ohio University (MEd), and a BA in elementary mathematics education. Prior to her research career, she worked as a middle school mathematics teacher in Turkiye. Contact Tuba Gezer at tgezer1@jh.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

David Casalaspi<\/b><\/h2>\n

Research Fellow<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

David Casalaspi is a Research Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. Most recently, Casalaspi served as Senior Managing Director of Research at Teach For America, where he led the organization\u2019s research, learning, and capacity-building portfolio in the area of community-based education systems change. Previously, he served as assistant professor of education at Colby College, senior K-12 policy analyst at the National Governors Association, and policy advisor to the mayors of Detroit, MI, and Charlottesville, VA.<\/p>\n

He has taught courses at Johns Hopkins University, Colby College, Michigan State University, and the University of Virginia. His research specializes in the politics of education and has examined numerous topics including school quality and accountability, school choice, community engagement, youth civic development, and classroom teaching and learning, among others. He holds a PhD (education policy) from Michigan State University and a BA (history) from the University of Virginia. Contact David at dcasala1@jhu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Genevieve Smith<\/b><\/h2>\n

Research Fellow<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"GeneviveGenevieve Smith is a research fellow at the Institute for Education Policy in the Homeschool Research Lab<\/a> at Johns Hopkins University. She has a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley, and received her MS in education policy from Johns Hopkins in 2022. She is excited to contribute to the Homeschool Hub<\/a> web presence and improve the transparency of homeschooling data and legislation across the country. Genevieve\u2019s other education interests include early childhood education, bilingual education, English language learners, and educational equity.<\/span> Contact Genevieve Smith at gsmit134@jhu.edu<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Liz Davis<\/b><\/h2>\n

Research Fellow<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Liz<\/p>\n

Liz Davis began her education career as an English Language Arts teacher before transitioning to education program management and policy making. Liz served as Associate Commissioner of Assessments at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, managing state and national assessment programs, including a leadership role in assessment design and development for the ELA Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Assessments. After leaving Massachusetts, Liz assumed the role of Chief Programs Office at Odell Education supporting national assessment and curriculum programs. Currently, Liz is an education consultant, living on Peaks Island, Maine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kelly Siegel-Stechler<\/b><\/h2>\n

Research Fellow<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Kelly<\/p>\n

Kelly Siegel-Stechler, PhD, studies civic development and political socialization in schools, with a particular interest in how experiential learning, classroom discussion, high quality instructional materials, and school climate shape young peoples\u2019 long-term civic development and democratic engagement. Kelly holds a PhD in Education from Johns Hopkins and was previously Associate Director for Research at CIRCLE at Tufts University, where she oversaw work on civics education and youth electoral engagement. She has also led several non-profit programs in global\/social education and bridge building at the Interactivity Foundation, United Nations Foundation, Louis August Jonas Foundation, and Foundations for Leadership. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

David Steiner Executive Director David Steiner is the executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and professor of education at Johns Hopkins University. In 2020, he finished serving as a member of the Maryland State Board of Education and the Maryland Commission for Innovation and Excellence in Education. 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