Julie McCulloch to join EPI as new chief executive

Julie McCulloch has been appointed as the new chief executive of The Education Policy Institute (EPI).

McCulloch is senior director of strategy, policy and professional development at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), and is currently on a secondment as head of policy at the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

She said she was “hugely privileged” to join the EPI, an independent research institute that aims to raise standards in education.

Her appointment comes after EPI co-founder Natalie Perrera stepped down as CEO of the think tank at the end of January, to take up a senior role at the country’s largest exam board, AQA. Perrera had been at the helm of the EPI since its creation in 2015.

McCulloch will join EPI at the beginning of May.

Professor Sir Chris Husbands, chair of the board of trustees at EPI, said: “I am delighted to be able to welcome Julie as the chief executive to take EPI into its second decade.”

Husbands said McCulloch was “outstanding” in “a very strong field” of candidates.

“Her grasp of the education policy landscape, her understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the organisation and her leadership qualities made her an ideal leader for EPI.”

McCulloch said: “Over the last decade EPI has relentlessly championed the importance of using independent evidence to improve educational outcomes and to narrow the disadvantage gap.

“I feel hugely privileged to join such an exceptional team as chief executive, and I look forward to collaborating with our partners across the research and policy landscape to build on that vital work.”