Professor Madeline Mavrogordato became the director of the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) on May 12, 2025.
With EPIC, she will continue its mission to serve the College of Education, greater community and state in education policy research. Established in 2017, EPIC serves as the strategic research partner for the State of Michigan and holds a first-of-its-kind data sharing agreement with the Michigan Department of Education and the Center for Educational Performance and Information.
“I am honored to join the EPIC team as director,” said Mavrogordato, who started in the college’s Department of Educational Administration in 2012. “I believe the most impactful research is conducted in close partnership with policymakers and stakeholders who are grappling most directly with the issues research is seeking to address. At EPIC, I look forward to strengthening and building new partnerships that advance evidence-based education policy change in Michigan and beyond.”
Research highlights
Mavrogordato is known for conducting rigorous and relevant mixed methods research with and for stakeholders, effectively communicating research to diverse audiences, and translating research into practice. She has established strong research-policy partnerships and invested in public scholarship. For many years, she has worked closely with the Michigan Department of Education Special Populations Unit to study and advance education policies that expand educational opportunity for underserved students, particularly multilingual students classified as English learners.
Mavrogordato’s research has been funded by more than $3 million in external funding from agencies such as the Institute of Education Sciences and the Skillman Foundation. Her research has been published in leading journals such as Educational Researcher, AERA Open, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Administration Quarterly, and Education Finance and Policy. Mavrogordato recently completed a term as co-editor for the American Educational Research Journal, the flagship journal of the American Educational Research Association, from 2019-2024.
“We are thrilled for Dr. Mavrogordato to come on board to lead our portfolio of research as we work with partners to drive improvement on behalf of Michigan’s students and families,” said Emily Mohr, EPIC’s managing director. At the time of writing, Mavrogordato has contributed to more than 25 research/policy briefs and research reports with EPIC scholars. “We have seen the impact of EPIC’s research, and with Dr. Mavrogordato in this role, we can expand on this important work to meet the challenges we face as a state.”
Working in collaboration with Mohr and Associate Professor Kristy Cooper Stein, Mavrogordato is currently principal investigator of a more than $1.8 million grant to evaluate TeachMichigan, a program that provides teachers and leaders with additional compensation coupled with professional learning and network building activities in an effort to retain experienced educators in the hardest-to-staff schools across the state.
Outreach and community-driven efforts
Beyond her peer-reviewed research, Mavrogordato is also known for sharing her expertise in broader contexts and communities.
In addition to her ongoing collaborations with the Michigan Department of Education, Mavrogordato has worked closely with other state education agencies and local school districts to ensure rigorous research evidence is driving decision making and education reform. She regularly presents at conferences, leads workshops and seminars, and works directly with policymakers and practitioners to share insights and best practices. Earlier this year, Mavrogordato was invited by the Blue Ribbon Commission to make recommendations regarding education funding and finance for Rhode Island’s multilingual learners (February 2025).
Moreover, Mavrogordato connects with the media to elevate research findings for broader audiences. Most recently, she was interviewed on Michigan Public Radio to discuss a recent EPIC report on teacher compensation in Michigan in August 2025 and appeared on Detroit Public Radio to discuss K-12 teacher shortages in October 2024.
“Dr. Mavrogordato’s appointment is an important step in EPIC’s future and in reinforcing MSU’s place as a leader in improving lives through research that informs local, national and global policy,” said Jerlando F. L. Jackson, dean of the MSU College of Education.