Dr. Sarah Johnson

Dr. Sarah Johnson is a dynamic leader whose innovative vision has been a driving force at Teaching Lab since 2018. Sarah is instrumental to developing and executing Teaching Lab’s strategic initiatives, including setting and communicating a vision for the organization and its mission, strategic management, ensuring financial and operational health, and leading fundraising efforts.

In recent years, Sarah has emerged as a national and field leader in the movement to responsibly integrate AI into education in collaboration with teachers and educators to improve classroom practice and student learning outcomes.

Sarah brings experience across philanthropy, systems leadership, and the classroom. Prior to Teaching Lab, she led the Exceptional Educators Portfolio at Overdeck Family Foundation, directing investments in groundbreaking approaches to teacher development. She also held senior roles at New York City Public Schools, where she helped design and implement a continuous improvement strategy across more than 1,000 schools and led policy for the city’s teacher development and evaluation system.

Sarah began her career as a high school science teacher and founder of a social justice student leadership program in Washington, D.C. and Oakland, CA—an experience that continues to inform her commitment to educator voice and student opportunity.

She holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a Master of Arts in Teaching from American University, and a B.S. in Neuroscience from Emory University, where she graduated summa cum laude.