Dr. Deirdre Johnson Burel

Dr. Deirdre Johnson Burel serves as a Senior Program Officer and previously held the position of Program Officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation since 2016, focusing on philanthropic investments in Early Childhood Systems, Education Systems, Maternal Child Health, and Food Systems, emphasizing racial equity and community engagement. From 2009 to 2016, Burel was the Executive Director of the Orleans Public Education Network, where leadership efforts culminated in The People's Agenda, a community vision for public education in New Orleans, developed with input from over 3,000 residents. Prior roles include Director of Programs at the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, where Burel facilitated the organization's recovery after Hurricane Katrina, and various positions in education policy analysis at the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and the Georgia Department of Education. Educational credentials include a Doctor of Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Public Administration from NYU, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley.