Julie T. Marks

Julie T. Marks holds a B.S. in Biology from Duke University and a Ph.D. from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Marks is the Director of Evaluation and a Senior Research Associate at the Education Policy Initiative at Carolina (EPIC). Her overarching research interests converge around identifying evidence-based strategies to provide equitable access to high quality educational opportunities. She has led large-scale evaluations of federal programs such as North Carolina’s $27M GEAR UP grant to increase postsecondary enrollment and success for low-income students, and $400M Race to the Top education reform grant, composed of eleven initiatives targeting the equitable distribution of effective teachers and leaders, data driven decision making using rigorous standards and assessments, and comprehensive school turnaround initiatives. Dr. Marks conducts and oversees research that spans the education pipeline, from teacher preparation to post-secondary attainment, which encompasses interfacing with hundreds of teachers and school leaders across the state.  She has expertise in mixed methods research designs, with an emphasis on disseminating translatable findings to key education stakeholders including local, state, and federal policymakers, K-12 and post-secondary administrators, and external funders. Dr. Marks’ previously held a lecturer position in the Department of Public Policy and currently holds an adjunct assistant professor appointment in Policy, Leadership, and School Improvement in the School of Education.