Gayle Christensen

Gayle Christensen is an Affiliate Associate Professor at the College of Education, University of Washington, and serves as the Associate Vice Provost for Global Affairs. In this role, she oversees strategic global initiatives and collaborates with colleges, schools, and centers to enhance international engagement. She is an expert in comparative education and has worked with organizations like the World Bank and Urban Institute.

Dr. Christensen's research focuses on the global impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), published in high-impact venues such as Nature, The Atlantic, and Slate. Her work has been highlighted in major media outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Her career includes a decade in international education, notably as Executive Director for Penn Global at the University of Pennsylvania, where she designed initiatives to strengthen global outreach. She has also taught comparative higher education policy as adjunct faculty. Dr. Christensen holds a Master's degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and Master's and Doctoral degrees from Stanford University.