Brian Johnson
Washington,District of Columbia
Summary
Equity-focused education executive with over 15 years of experience in system-level consulting and instructional design. Expertise in implementing culturally responsive curricula and data-driven strategies to enhance school improvement in public and charter settings. Demonstrated success in collaborating with schools and districts to achieve sustainable educational outcomes.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Learning Design and Development
The Danielson Group
Chicago, IL
01.2018 - Current
- Executive leadership team member overseeing $4.2M in annual revenue, with contributions to strategic planning, program delivery, business development, budgeting, governance, and staff onboarding.
- Founded and led the organization’s first online/blended learning division, developing SCORM-compliant courses on topics such as instructional calibration and PLC design, generating $1.1M in revenue over five years.
- Delivered national keynotes and webinars with key stakeholders including the Teaching Channel, PowerSchool, and Frontline; represented the Danielson Group at ASCD, Learning Forward, and CCSSO around educational policy and evaluation.
- Built and led two consultant cohorts (40 total part-time staff) to deliver equity-driven, constructivist professional learning grounded in the Framework for Teaching, with ongoing development and coaching.
- Secured $240K in IP licensing and royalty revenue through strategic vendor partnerships and platform enhancements focused on user experience and customization.
- Led multi-year contracts with state boards and districts, managing consultant teams that trained educators on engagement, absenteeism, walk throughs, and leadership coaching—generating $1.3M in revenue and annual NPS scores of 80–86.
- Developed internal and external professional learning content, including book studies and workshop materials focused on cultural competence, feedback, coaching, instructional discourse, and identifying teaching excellence.
Executive Vice President: Growth & Expansion
LitLife
New York, NY
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Specialized in improving literacy outcomes for students with special needs and below-grade-level performance in the Bronx and Harlem by providing real-time, embedded coaching for teachers; efforts led to proficiency gains of 16% for students with IEPs, 23% for English Language Learners, and 5% for general education students.
- Executed large-scale literacy initiatives with New York State’s My Brother’s Keeper, partnering with district leaders and community-based organizations to promote summer and at-home reading among boys of color, positively impacting over 600 students, parents, and educators.
- Advised superintendents and deputy-level leaders across NYC Districts 6, 9, and 18 on literacy strategy, modeling instructional practices such as interactive read-alouds, close reading techniques, and standards-aligned reading and writing lessons.
- Designed and facilitated internal training on the Science of Reading, equipping staff with evidence-based strategies in phonemic awareness, decoding, and comprehension; integrated Cognitive Coaching to foster reflective practice and build instructional capacity.
- Contributed lesson plans and instructional activities to Every Child a Super Reader by Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell; also developed aligned professional learning sessions to support educators in applying the book’s framework in classrooms.
Director of Alumni Affairs
Teach For America
New York, NY
01.2014 - 01.2015
- Secured $50,000 in funding from the Kern Family Foundation to support scholarships and leadership coaching for NYC-based alumni.
- Led the Educators of Color series as regional chair, advancing professional development on critical consciousness, career pathways to district leadership, and education policy roles.
- Managed a team of five to deliver professional development and events for over 4,000 alumni across education, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial sectors.
- Curated a newsletter for 1,600 school-based alumni, promoting job opportunities, networking, and news from TFA’s partner schools.
- Increased third-year teacher retention to 60% beyond the corps commitment through targeted coaching, community-building events, and PD initiatives.
Teacher | Coach
KIPP: Infinity Charter School
New York, NY
01.2008 - 01.2014
- Established 8th-grade mathematics, literature, and special education programs as founding teacher.
- Developed comprehensive scope and sequence for 8th-grade math curriculum.
- Achieved over 90% passing rate in high school Regents courses for eighth graders from 2008 to 2012.
- Secured 100% passing rate for eighth grade state exam in 2008.
- Facilitated over 200-point SRI-based Lexile increase among reading intervention group in 2014.
- Coached three cohorts of teacher leaders and department chairs through KIPP Teacher Leadership Program.
- Utilized consultancy protocols and case study methods to enhance teaching practices in KIPP program.
Education
Masters of Arts - Science of Teaching
Pace University
01.2018
Certification - Students with Disabilities
College of St. Rose
01.2013
Bachelor of Arts - Marketing
University of Kentucky
01.2005
Skills
- Staff development and growth
- Curriculum design and implementation
- Facilitation
- School improvement strategies
- Policy development in education
- Strategic planning in sales and marketing
Publications
How Notes Have Changed My Teaching, EngageNY
Pinellas Aims to Close Reading Gap Between Boys and Girls, Tampa Bay Times
Accomplishments
- TED TALK: How to teach "for" students, not "at them"
- Sontag Prize in Urban Education
- Orton-Gillingham Certified
Timeline
Director of Learning Design and Development
The Danielson Group
01.2018 - Current
Executive Vice President: Growth & Expansion
LitLife
01.2015 - 01.2018
Director of Alumni Affairs
Teach For America
01.2014 - 01.2015
Teacher | Coach
KIPP: Infinity Charter School
01.2008 - 01.2014
Masters of Arts - Science of Teaching
Pace University
Certification - Students with Disabilities
College of St. Rose
Bachelor of Arts - Marketing
University of Kentucky
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