Eric M. Johnson
Eric M. Johnson co-directs RTI’s Global Center for Youth Employment with a focus on developing and testing workforce development solutions. Dr. Johnson is an accomplished development professional with 15 years of experience bridging the worlds of academia, policy, and practice. He previously worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leading the Agency in higher education and workforce development investments, while also acting as Deputy Director of USAID’s Office of Education. Dr. Johnson is also a Senior Research Economist and Director for Research and Development in the Workforce and Economic Opportunity Division in the International Development Group at RTI International. He provides technical expertise and support for RTI’s portfolio of youth workforce development projects in India, El Salvador, Haiti, Liberia, Kenya, and the Philippines. Additionally, Dr. Johnson provides thought-leadership for the youth workforce development sector through periodic presentations and publications.
Peter Joyce
Peter Joyce, a senior researcher within RTI’s Education and Workforce Division and International Development Group, serves as general manager of the Global Center for Youth Employment. He is a recognized expert on the grand challenges associated with the evolving global labor market and with youth employment and prosperity. Dr. Joyce’s work focuses on researching, evaluating, and building innovative practices that link education and work. His other areas of expertise include education and workforce development, strategic planning and project management, evaluative research and policy analysis, technical assistance and coaching, resource and tool development, state and community collaboration, career mapping and pathways, certifications and credentialing, and industry-based technical training and work-based learning. Dr. Joyce’s unique perspective draws on more than 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors.
Roman J. Stearns
As a professional coach, facilitator, trainer, and consultant, Roman operates from a deep conviction that our youth deserve an education that fosters the qualities and skills that scholars, researchers, and futurists contend are needed to advance us toward a sustainable future. After nearly 30 years in California working in the public and non-profit sectors as an educator and organizational change agent, Roman now lives in Asia and works as a consultant helping schools, regions, and international organizations to become much clearer about the kind of education needed to prepare students for future success. For RTI’s Global Center for Youth Employment, Roman has informed and advised strategy for improving student outcomes and stimulating the economy, and has created tools to guide the organization’s commitment to improve workforce preparation in countries across the globe.