Description of Research Expertise

Areas of Expertise

Educational leadership
Principals

Professional Biography

Dr. Brody earned her doctorate in educational leadership. She explored her dissertation topic, The Role of a Principal in Developing a School Climate that Facilitates Student Learning: Reflection as a Catalyst for Innovating Change, as she served as a principal in the School District of Philadelphia. During her ten years of service as an urban principal, she was recognized with two prestigious awards, the Marcus Foster Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and the Rose Lindenbaum Improvement of Education Principal Award. Moving from leadership at the school level, she was appointed regional superintendent, where she provided leadership for 36 urban schools. She expanded her leadership in supervising principals by developing a performance appraisal system for the entire district. She continued to provide leadership in the areas of curriculum, instruction, assessment, staff development, and personnel functions by serving as assistant superintendent in the suburban district of Springfield, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Prior to receiving her doctorate, Dr. Brody served as a social studies teacher in Philadelphia schools for 15 years. During her teaching career, she helped to develop several innovative programs, including the Middle Years Alternative School for the Humanities, which promoted an inter-disciplinary curriculum.

Dr. Brody has served as a consultant and presented extensively in the area of leadership for school reform at conferences, in school districts, and in corporate settings. She has focused on the topic of building communities of learners in which leaders promote a positive climate for learning, reflective practice, collaborative behaviors, and a process of ongoing inquiry.

Research Interests and Current Projects

Dr. Brody has served Penn GSE in several roles. She helped to create the Educational Leadership Program for Aspiring Principals (ELPAP) and served as director. Currently, she is an instructor in the School Leadership Program and the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. In addition, she has represented the program in various venues, including the East China Normal University in Shanghai, China. Using a model developed at Penn GSE, she has led programs for current school leaders, both in the United States and abroad. She has also co-led school leadership study trips to the United Kingdom and New Zealand.