Jerry Johnson, EdD - Southeast Hub, Greenville, NC
Dr. Jerry Johnson is the Phoebe Moore Dail Distinguished Professor in Rural Education at East Carolina University. A former English teacher and high school principal, Johnson served from 2003-2008 as policy research director for a national non-profit organization addressing the crucial relationship between good schools and thriving communities (the Rural School and Community Trust) and has been a higher education faculty member and administrator for 16 years.
The 2017 recipient of the Stanley A. Brzezinski Memorial Rural Education Research Award from the National Rural Education Association, he is the author of more than 70 publications on rural education policy, school-based leadership, and place-based learning. Johnson’s research has been supported by external funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute for Education Sciences and Office of English Language Acquisition, state departments of education, private foundations, and local school districts. His research has been the basis for testifying before state legislatures, presenting research briefings on Capitol Hill, and contributing to the development of state and federal legislation and regulations regarding the funding and operation of public schools and the preparation of teachers and leaders. In addition to his work in the U.S., Dr. Johnson consults regularly with universities and ministries of education in the Middle East and Africa on leadership development and higher education reform initiatives. Current leadership roles in professional organizations include serving as Associate Editor of the Journal of Research in Rural Education, Advisory Board Member for the UCF Center for Community Schools, and Advisory Board member for the Nigeria-based Marben Foundation.
He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Eastern Kentucky University, an M.A. in English Literature from Eastern Kentucky University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Ohio University.