College of Education and Human Development

Former Obama Administrator Joins Mason’s CEHD

Spiros Protopsaltis will join the faculty of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University after serving as deputy assistant secretary for higher education and student financial aid at the U.S. Department of Education in the Obama administration. Protopsaltis will serve as visiting associate professor and as a fellow of the Center for Education Policy and Evaluation.

"Dr. Protopsaltis is nationally respected for his work in the domain of education policy. He will be an excellent and exciting addition to our faculty," said Mark R. Ginsberg, CEHD dean. "His background and experience will be extremely relevant in shaping research-based policy recommendations to improve our schools and colleges and promote the learning and development of all of our nation’s students."

Prior to his position in the federal government as deputy assistant secretary, Protopsaltis was a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education and on the policy staff of both former Senator Tom Harkin (who served as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee) and Congressman Jared Polis (member of the House Education and Workforce Committee).

Protopsaltis earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and philosophy from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in urban policy and nonprofit management from New School University, and a PhD in public policy from the University of Colorado at Denver.