GSEHD alumna Dr. Mary Ann Wolf (master's, Elementary Education) is an education policy and leadership expert. She was recently named executive director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina, an education advocacy organization. In this position, she connects policymakers and practitioners with a focus on ensuring that every child in NC has access to a high quality and equitable education.
“We are facing a challenging time in education, and the Forum’s policy, research, and programs — all of which have a laser focus on equity — have never been more important,” Wolf said in a statement.
Wolf started her career as a fifth grade teacher which provided her with in-class experience before advancing as a leader in the field. She has garnered more than 20 years of educational policy and leadership working on federal, state, and local policy and directly with schools and districts to improve equity. She was formerly a senior director at N.C. State University’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. In this role, she and her team lead ongoing, job-embedded professional learning to guide superintendents, district teams, principals, coaches, and teachers in North Carolina and across the country. She also served as chairwoman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education.
Thomas Williams, president of the Forum’s Board of Directors, said Wolf is a proven leader. “Her knowledge, skills, and experience in North Carolina, as well as across our nation, in the areas of research, public policy, and innovative programming are a strong match with our excellent staff and our current and emerging initiatives,” Williams added.
Wolf's new position was highlighted in NC Newsline's blog, "Education expert Mary Ann Wolf to lead the Public School Forum of North Carolina."