Dr. Loretta Goodwin

As the Aurora Institute’s Interim CEO, Dr. Loretta Goodwin leads the Aurora Institute staff; oversees all of the organization’s programmatic work; owns talent management and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work at the organization; aligns the work on the ground with the organization’s mission, vision, values, and goals; and supports the Board of Directors in implementing a new, long-range strategic plan. Additionally, she is working in close partnership with the Board to identify a new CEO for the organization. Prior to her role as Interim CEO, Dr. Goodwin served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to joining Aurora, Dr. Goodwin was the Deputy Director at the American Youth Policy Forum, focused on promoting equitable education for all young people by providing professional learning opportunities to policymakers. She oversaw AYPF’s DEI efforts, as well as instituting innovative staff professional development. An educator at heart, she has worked consistently in the fields of education reform from her teaching days in her native South Africa to dissertation research for her doctorate on Soviet education reform.

Dr. Goodwin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Town, a Higher Diploma of Education from the University of Cape Town, master’s degrees from Wesleyan University and the University of Washington, in History and Political Science, and a Ph.D. in History from Princeton University.