Dr. Julia James Carlson is an accomplished educational leader with over two decades of experience in school turnaround, curriculum development/management, and instructional leadership. With a career spanning urban and suburban districts, private sectors, and nonprofit organizations, Dr. Carlson has become a trusted voice in educational reform and implementation science. She holds an EdD in Educational Administration from Boston College, where she received the prestigious AASA Educational Administrative Scholarship Award.
Dr. Carlson's career is marked by a deep commitment to improving student outcomes through evidence-based practices and collaborative leadership. She has served in various roles, including Product Management Director: Implementation Science at Imagine Learning, Vice President of Research at Wilson Language Training, Invention Education Administrator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Assistant Superintendent of Fall River Public Schools. In these positions, she led initiatives to enhance literacy instruction, developed and implemented innovative educational programs, and district-wide data systems to monitor student progress. Her leadership was pivotal in securing multi-million-dollar grants and raising student achievement rates in underperforming school districts. As a passionate advocate for literacy and equity in education, Dr. Carlson has presented nationally on the role of implementation science in school reform, focusing on creating supportive climates for administrator and teacher development and improving literacy outcomes. She was also a Collaborative Teaching Fellow and Practicum Supervisor at Boston College, mentoring future educators and preparing them to thrive in urban education settings through the Donovan Scholars Program. Dr. Carlson's extensive experience in K-12 and higher education underscores her holistic understanding of the educational landscape. In addition to her work stateside, she has been a mentor for the global organization Worldwide SHEroes, explicitly working with aspiring female education leaders in Africa.
Dr. Carlson is an active member of professional organizations such as the American Educational Research Association and the International Dyslexia Association. She was a key stakeholder in developing the Massachusetts Dyslexia Guidelines, co-developed by the Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education and Early Education and Care, to implement specific requirements of An Act Relative to Students with Dyslexia, Chapter 272 of the Acts of 2018. In addition to her advocacy and lobbying for early access to education, she has co-authored several publications, including work on structured literacy and educational leadership. She has been invited to present at prestigious conferences nationwide.
