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William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Friday Institute Executive Director Spotlight

Organizational impact requires great leadership. Through the years, we've had exemplary figureheads at the Friday Institute. Our leaders have all shared a calling and a charge to improve education for all learners. Learn more about them below.

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Three of the Friday Institute’s executive directors celebrate the 20th groundbreaking of the Friday Institute building. They represent leadership at the Friday Institute from its founding to today. From L to R: Glenn Kleiman, Krista Glazewski, Hiller Spires

Dr. Hiller Spires

Spires was the founding director of the Friday Institute but has held the executive director role twice–since its early beginnings in 2001 and in 2019. From building the institute’s vision, mission, funding and partnerships to supporting educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has led the Friday Institute through pivotal moments in its history.

Learn more about her leadership

Dr. Glenn Kleiman

Kleiman led the Friday Institute for 11 years from 2007 to 2018. He brought large projects to the organization, including the evaluation of the Race to the Top initiative for the state and Massive Open Online Courses for Educators (MOOC-Eds).

Kleiman’s Initiatives

Race to the Top

The ultimate goal of North Carolina’s Race to the Top plan was to build statewide capacity that could support sustained, long-term improvements in public education; namely, increases in student achievement, reductions in achievement gaps, and increases in graduation rates.

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lets get digital

North Carolina Digital Learning Plan

The North Carolina Digital Learning Plan was an action plan and long-term strategy for the state that set directions and priorities and provided resources to enable the state’s educators and students to benefit fully from digital-age teaching and learning.

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A student and teacher work together in a classroom

Massive Open Online Courses for Educators (MOOCs)

The Friday Institute forged a oath in online professional learning for educators.

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Dr. Carla Johnson

Johnson was named the Friday Institute’s third executive director in 2019. She led the national STEM Road Map project with a group of over 20 STEM education researchers across the U.S. and hosted a STEM Education Summit during her tenure.

Learn more about Carla

Dr. Krista Glazewski

Glazewski was named the Friday Institute’s fifth executive director in 2023. Since starting her role, she has supported the research, practice and policy issues around AI integration in K-12 schools by convening key partners for important conversations, providing research-backed methods for vetting and implementing AI resources, and guiding administrators in establishing guidelines and policies surrounding AI integration in schools, districts and states.

Learn more about Krista