Josephine Bias Robinson

Josephine Bias Robinson is the Executive Director of the District of Columbia Education Research Collaborative, a new research-practice partnership housed at the Urban Institute. Her expertise is in community-engaged participatory practices - bringing those who make policy and decisions more proximate to the people they serve.  The Collaborative is authorized by the District of Columbia government to provide actionable, independent research to support improvement in the District’s public schools.  

Previously, she served as the Chief of Family and Public Engagement for the District of Columbia Public Schools, where she developed and facilitated numerous citywide engagement processes designed to give those most impacted, input into critical issues. She has held presidential appointments in the White House and the US Department of Health and Human Services. She has also served in executive leadership roles at the HSC Health Care System and the United Way Worldwide, held legislative roles on Capitol Hill, and formerly led the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Josephine has a BS in International Affairs and Politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She and her husband are long-time residents of the District of Columbia and all three of their children attended and graduated from public schools in DC.