​​​​​​​​Will Jordan joined Wallace in 2022 and manages the foundation’s portfolio of research grants within the foundation’s education leadership focus area, including those associated with the Equity-Centered Pipeline Initiative. His expertise is in empirical research that can enhance the development of policies to improve the conditions of education for all students.

Jordan’s scholarship focuses on finding solutions to the complex problem of educational equity. His work seeks to bridge theory, research, and practice and views these domains as reciprocal. He authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles including “Defining equity: Multiple perspectives to analyzing the performance of diverse learners” in Review of Research in Education, and “Teacher preparation and performance in high-needs urban schools: What matters to teachers” in Teaching and Teacher Education. Jordan has vast expertise in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies as well as managing, designing, and executing program evaluation.

Throughout his career, Jordan has actively pursued civic engagement and partnering across diverse communities. In addition to collaborating with the School District of Philadelphia on its System of Great Schools initiative, he is former President of the Board of Directors of Big Picture Philadelphia, a national organization which runs two Philadelphia high schools, El Centro del Estudiantes and Vaux Big Picture High School.

Jordan earned his Ph.D. in sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He has an M.A. in political science, with a concentration in public administration, and a B.A. in sociology from Stony Brook University. Jordan is a native of Brooklyn and completed his K-12 education in New York City public schools.​