Dr. Karen Mapp

Biography

Karen L. Mapp is a Professor of Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, focusing on K-12 System Leadership and Nonprofit/Organizational Leadership. With over 25 years of research and practice, her work emphasizes cultivating partnerships among families, community members, and educators to support student achievement and school improvement. Mapp holds an Ed.D. from Harvard University and has previously served as the faculty director for the Education Policy Management master's program. As a founding member of the District Leaders Network on Family and Community Engagement, she has played significant roles on various boards including the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement and the Hyams Foundation. Mapp has also contributed to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, where she developed the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships. She has authored numerous articles and books on the role of families in supporting education, and she is currently the president and CEO of Karen L. Mapp & Associates, dedicated to building leadership and organizational capacity for effective engagement.

Research Interests