Dr. Chris Swanson has devoted his career to breaking down silos between sectors of care, education, health, social services, business, government, and public policy. As a research faculty member at the Johns Hopkins School of Education, Swanson founded the IDEALS Institute, an applied research to practice implementation center focused on improving human service systems that impact the quality of people’s lives. His work often focused on young children and those with diverse development, but he firmly believes ecological systems approaches are critical to helping all people thrive, and in turn create strong societies. He knows this works – in his four years as Executive Director of IDEALS, the institute grew from $5 million in annual funding with a team of 30 to over $28 million in managed funds and 91 personnel. Swanson has over 20 years of educational systems leadership experience with a track record of building high-performing teams and growing non-profit funding as an Executive Director. He is most energized by mixing empirical knowledge with an explorer’s creative curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit to solve entrenched challenges by designing and implementing new models, practices, services, and policies that breakdown silos, close gaps, and help people.
Dr. Swanson holds a doctorate in special education and urban educational leadership from Johns Hopkins but seeks ways to contribute his experience and skills across the lifespan for any population of people and works with any organization committed to doing good in this world. Swanson began his higher education career in 2008 as a Program Director with the Center for Technology in Education. He previously served as the Principal for the National Connections Academy School, a flagship virtual public and private hybrid program operated by Connections Academy, a provider of online charter schools. Prior to that role, he was the Director of Professional Development and Instructional Supports overseeing all teacher training and RTI initiatives across the company’s 6,000 teachers and 100,000 students nationwide. Before that, Swanson was a central office autism and cognitive delay specialist with Baltimore County Public Schools after being a classroom special educator and inclusion resource.