Julie A. Evans

Dr. Julie A. Evans is the Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow, a nationally recognized education nonprofit organization (www.tomorrow.org). She is the founder and chief researcher for Project Tomorrow's Speak Up Research Project which annually collects and reports on the authentic views of K-12 students, parents and educators nationwide on key education issues facing our schools and communities. In addition, Dr. Evans also leads national research efforts on the impact of emerging learning models and interventions in both K-12 and higher education. Her work includes helping education leaders embrace change and stimulate innovation in education, and most notably, to recognize that the voices and views of their stakeholders, including their students, are valuable assets in leading transformation initiatives in schools today. Dr. Evans is a passionate advocate for not just encouraging student voice, but empowering our youth today to have a larger role in education decision-making and planning.

Prior to joining Project Tomorrow, Dr. Evans was a successful executive in the technology industry including with two education technology startups. As a national thought leader and influencer, she brings to discussions about the future of education a unique perspective honed by her experiences in both the for profit and nonprofit sectors as well as within education. Dr. Evans is a graduate of Brown University and earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of California San Diego and California State University San Marcos. She is a frequent speaker and writer on new learning models within education. Her research findings and experiential insights include a deep understanding about the long tail impact of the pandemic on American education and how the use of digital technologies in classrooms have changed over the past few years.

Among her many accolades and awards, Dr. Evans as named in April 2020 as the recipient of EdTech Digest's National Leader award. Dr. Evans is the author of over 50 research reports on the impact of technology on student outcomes and teacher effectiveness. She is most excited about the publication of her new book, Free Agent Learning: Leveraging Students' Self-Directed Learning to Transform K-12 Education.