Under a new three-year strategic plan, the Georgia Policy Labs (GPL) at Georgia State University has announced changes to its leadership team. The move comes as GPL prepares for its 10-year anniversary in 2028 and seeks to expand its research expertise across education sectors.
The updated leadership structure brings together faculty from both the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and the College of Education & Human Development. Each member will oversee a specific research focus area within GPL.
Katherine Dunn will continue as senior director, guiding operations and overall strategy. Elaine Liu, who holds the Bernard B. and Eugenia A. Ramsey Chair and is a professor in the Department of Economics, will lead research on early childhood and whole child development. Kevin Fortner, associate professor in Educational Policy Studies, will head up K–12 education initiatives. Jonathan Smith, associate professor in Economics, takes responsibility for postsecondary education research. Daniel Kreisman, a founding member of GPL and associate professor in Economics, continues his work on career pathways and technical education.
Fortner and Smith have previously worked with GPL as fellows before joining the leadership team. Liu joins both GPL and Georgia State University from her previous position at the University of Houston.
“Expanding the leadership team is a significant milestone in GPL’s evolution and emblematic of the organization’s growth over the last several years,” Dunn said. “This new leadership team and the expertise they bring is not only representative of the breadth of our research-practice partnerships but also the relationships we have built across the Georgia State community. At a time when there are many challenges for our partners, our incredible leadership, staff, faculty and students will ensure we are collectively advancing evidence-based policy to best serve students and families. I look forward to the work ahead with this team.”
“This new leadership team will be critical to GPL continuing to lead with purpose. I am excited to work alongside them as we collectively address some of the most pressing issues facing our world through research that is collaborative, community-informed and actionable,” said Thomas J. Vicino, dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. “This leadership team also strengthens GPL’s reputation as a leader in transdisciplinary engaged research, and I look forward to continued collaboration with our colleagues in the College of Education & Human Development.”
