The Brown School’s Jewel D. Stafford and Jason Jabbari have been appointed to new leadership positions at the school.
Stafford, a teaching professor, has been named assistant dean of practicum engaged scholarship, a newly created role she assumed on July 1. In this position, she will oversee the Office of Practicum Education, focusing on pedagogy development and assessment, and fostering stronger collaboration among faculty, students, and practicum sites. Stafford will also supervise a soon-to-be-hired director of practicum education.
“Jewel will lead efforts to strengthen our field education program as the school’s signature pedagogy,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School. “This new role is an important step in achieving our vision of leading the field in the Brown School’s second century.”
Stafford also serves as director of the Racial Equity Fellowship program and co-director of policy education and practice at the Brown School’s Center for Social Development. She brings more than 15 years of experience in community-based research, training, and program development.
Jabbari, an assistant professor and lead of the Center for Education Research, Practice, and Policy Partnerships (CERP³), has been named the inaugural faculty director of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute (CFPI), effective Sept. 1. He also serves as director of community engagement at the Center for Social Development.
His research has been supported by a variety of organizations, such as the Lumina Foundation, the Kauffman Foundation, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the William T. Grant Foundation. His work has appeared in publications including Urban Education, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Brookings, and Forbes.
“Jason brings a rare combination of rigor, passion, and deep policy expertise that makes him the ideal choice to lead CFPI,” Traube said. “He has a proven track record of working collaboratively with diverse community organizations to address pressing social challenges. His leadership will enhance our commitment to advancing evidence-based solutions in a variety of areas, including early childhood education, a priority for both our school and society as a whole. With Jason’s guidance, the Brown School will help shape policies that ensure every child can thrive.”
Jabbari said he’s honored to take on the role and eager to continue CFPI’s mission.
“I’m humbled and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the faculty director of CFPI. I’m excited to carry on its tradition of providing meaningful, community engaged policy solutions that can improve the lives of vulnerable populations. I look forward to building new bridges across the Brown School, the university, and the St. Louis Community,” Jabbari said.
Established in 2017 through a gift from Maxine Clark and Bob Fox, CFPI advances social and economic justice by connecting evidence-based policy solutions to public awareness, practitioner training, and policy decision-making.