Jennifer Perry Cheatham, Ed.D.
As a faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, co-chair of the Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard, Faculty Chair of Field Engagement, and Chair of the Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader, I teach about, write about, and support system-level education leaders.
Leadership Work
Learn more about my courses, including how to sign up for my professional courses.
Learn more about the Initiative on Superintendent as Civic Leader at Harvard and how to get involved.
Learn more about my new book, Superintendent as Civic Leader, including key tools and resources that might be useful to you.
Let’s explore how I might be useful to you in your own work.
Shared leadership has never been more important, and the time to lead together is now.
In my over 25 years as an educator, I’ve learned a lot about education leadership with the understanding that leadership comes in many forms, and everyone has an important role to play in promoting excellence and reducing inequality in our schools. Together, we can ensure that every student thrives.
Public Education Is in Trouble. Here’s Who Can Help
How K-12 leaders can work together more effectively This article was originally published in Education Week on August 29, 2025. By Jennifer Perry Cheatham, Sophia Roy, and Leah Rubin Education leaders at all levels are grappling with big challenges. Students and staff are still recovering from the pandemic. Declining enrollment threatens economic stability. And partisan politics has intensified in […]
‘I Don’t Know What to Do’: Facing Today’s Education Leadership Challenges
3 steps for creating a safe learning environment amid political storms This article was originally published in Education Week on June 17, 2024. By Jennifer P. Cheatham and Bonnie Lo These days, education leaders are responding to one political battle after another. Many of those challenges have sprung from the conservative right (e.g., anti-critical race […]
3 Skills to Help Leaders Navigate in Uncertain Times
Ed. leaders must pay deep attention to themselves, their communities, the nation, and the world This article was originally published in Education Week on June 12, 2024. By Jennifer P. Cheatham I have been working with my colleague, former school Superintendent Carl Cohn, on equity-focused political leadership for as long as we have known each […]