Our Dean

Dean Katharine StrunkKatharine O. Strunk joined the University of Pennsylvania as the Dean of the Graduate School of Education and the George and Diane Weiss Professor of Education in July 2023. She is nationally renowned for her partner-driven research and leadership, which has brought multimethod, collaborative scholarship to bear on pressing questions facing education and educators. She partners extensively with district and state policy makers, including working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the California and Michigan Departments of Education. She served as the only researcher on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Student Recovery Advisory Council, which informed COVID-19 recovery efforts in schools statewide. She has also advised on numerous major local and state education reforms.

Dr. Strunk served as president of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) in 2021–2022. She is a member of the Executive Leadership Board for the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH). From 2017 to 2023, she served as director of the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) at Michigan State University, which partners with the Michigan Department of Education and local school districts to craft targeted research that is a priority for policymakers and educators.

Visit Dean Strunk’s bio page.

Board of Advisors

Members of our Board of Advisors provide leadership, direction, and support for the future of Penn GSE.

  • Jeffrey S. McKibben, W'93, Chair
  • Deborah Ancona, C'76, GED'77 
  • Olumoroti G. Balogun, GRD’20
  • Brett H. Barth, W'93 
  • Allison J. Blitzer, C'91
  • Harlan B. Cherniak, W'01
  • Jolley Bruce Christman, GED'71, GR'87
  • Samara E. Cohen, C’93, W’93 
  • Beth S. Ertel, W'88, WG'92
  • Evan S. Feinberg, W’09
  • Jeffrey L. Goldberg, W'83, WG'89
  • Patricia Grant, GED'01, GRD'04
  • Joel M. Greenblatt, W'79, WG'80
  • John Henry
  • Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, W’95
  • Andrew H. Jacobson, WG'93
  • Douglas R. Korn, W'84 
  • Gregory A. Milken, C'95 
  • Andrea J. Pollack, C'83, L'87, GED'17
  • David N. Roberts, W'84
  • Francisco J. Rodriguez, W'93
  • Molly P. Rouse-Terlevich, C'90, GED'00
  • Michael J. Sorrell, GRD'16
  • Navin M. Valrani, W'93, GED'18, GED’22
  • Steven M. Wagshal, W'94

Senior Leadership

  • Raquel Arredondo, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • Kim Eke, Senior IT Director
  • Michael Golden, Executive Director, Catalyst
  • Matt Hartley, Deputy Dean, and Professor
  • Kate Hellings, Chief People Officer
  • Zachary Herrmann, Executive Director, Center for Professional Learning
  • Leslie Levin, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
  • Jason Presley, Vice Dean for Administration and Finance 
  • Kat Stein, Executive Director, Communications
  • Katharine Strunk, Dean and George and Diane Weiss Professor
  • Laura Tepper, Vice Dean, Development and Alumni Relations
  • Ann Tiao, Assistant Dean for Student Services
  • Susan Yoon, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs, and Professor