Johanna Maes has 25 years of experience in K–12, higher education and in the nonprofit sector. She has developed, implemented,and evaluated innovative curricula, experiential educational initiatives and trainings that focus on multiculturalism, inclusivity, gender bias and culturally competent teaching methods. Her audiences include K–12 and university students, nonprofit and business executives, and school administrators.
Maes is a graduate of two of the nation’s top leadership development/management institutes: Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Leadership Program, and the Center for Creative Leadership Executive Leadership Program. Both institutes focus on leadership development, conflict resolution, interpersonal communication, strategic planning and the importance of collaborative decision-making processes.
In addition to being an independent education consultant, Maes is an instructor at the University of Colorado Boulder’s School of Education’s Multicultural Leadership Scholars Program. She has developed and implemented curricula on topics including multicultural education, race/ethnicity/privilege, cultural competency, ethnic studies, multicultural leadership development, service learning and social justice.
Maes has co-written a number of academic articles relating to issues of education inclusivity, transformational leadership, women in leadership, action research methods and Latina academic achievement. She is co-editor of the book Journeys of Social Justice: Women of Color Presidents in the Academy (Peter Lang International Academic Publishers, 2017).
As a formally trained journalist who received her Bachelor of Science degree through the University of Colorado School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Maes has been a guest columnist/journalist for The Denver Post.
Maes received her master’s degree in multicultural education from Regis University and her PhD in education leadership and human resource studies from Colorado State University.