Biography
I am a Senior Associate with RESULTS Educational Fund where I develop and pilot the Right to Education Index (RTEI). Prior to this position I completed a dual title Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Policy and Comparative International Education at The Pennsylvania State University. My research focuses on education’s role in economic and social development with specific interests in national testing policy, school accountability, and student outcomes; the relationship between the population environment and the education-health gradient; and comparative issues related to the immigrant achievement gap. In addition to speaking to an academic audience, I am interested in collaborating across fields, sectors, and countries to work with a broad array of stakeholders to tackle important issues in social and education policy.
My experience and passion for addressing equity issues in education has been shaped from my experience as a secondary school social studies teacher. Through my six years of teaching I taught courses in sociology, psychology, economics, foreign policy, and research methods. I have administrative experience as a department chair and athletic director and enjoyed coaching cross country and track and field at both the high school and college level. I've been exposed to a variety of challenges in education through working with diverse communities in urban New Jersey and Philadelphia, as well as, the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University and the Rocky Mountain Talent Search at the University of Denver. In my current position at RESULTS Educational Fund, I am developing the Right to Education Index (RTEI) which will eventually provide a globally comparative alternative measure to national education quality while identifying specific target areas for countries to address. RTEI is completed by in country civil society partners with responses triangulated through anonymous peer reviewers and national governments. The five country pilot will be completed in late 2015 with a global report and country briefs set for publication in early 2016. |
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