Michael C. Johanek

Michael C. Johanek is a Senior Fellow in the Education, Culture, and Society program at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE). He directs initiatives like the Inter-American Educational Leadership Network (RILE) and co-teaches a MOOC on education reform history. Previously, he held leadership roles at the College Board and Teachscape, managing programs impacting hundreds of thousands of educators. His research focuses on leadership judgment, urban education reforms, and global professional infrastructure in education.

Education: Extensive career history includes teaching and administrative roles in the U.S., Peru, and Colombia. Academic affiliations include Perry World House and the Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies at Penn, as well as teaching roles at NYU and universities in Chile and Colombia.

Research Interests: Explores situated judgment in leadership, historical analysis of urban reforms, community-centered education approaches, and global leadership frameworks. Recent work includes a Fulbright-supported study on Mexican-American educational networks in Chicago and collaborations with Chilean institutions on leadership training platforms.

Publications: Authored/co-authored key texts on school choice (2019), practitioner-led leadership (2018), and educational history (2006/2001). His work bridges theoretical inquiry with practical educational policy.

Awards/Grants: Recipient of the Fulbright Grant supporting research in Chile. Supported by the Spencer Foundation for studies on Chicago’s educational reforms.

Advisory Roles: Served on boards for Research for Action, the Loyola School, and the Annenberg Commission. Currently advises initiatives like the Inter-American Teacher Education Network and the National Science Foundation-funded leadership projects.

Labs/Teams: Leads The Judgment Project and collaborates on the Educational Leadership Simulations Program (ELS), developing virtual tools for leadership training.