Dr. Karen Acton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education within the Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP) program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto.

Dr. Acton brings extensive experience from both K-12 and higher education systems, having served as a teacher, department head, principal, system-level administrator, and Education Officer with the Ministry of Education. Dr. Acton previously held a position of Assistant Professor at Western University in the Faculty of Education before coming to OISE. Drawing on this broad leadership background, Dr. Acton currently teaches masters and doctoral-level courses in educational leadership and policy, research methods, program implementation, and school change. She also contributes as a research consultant for the charitable organization Learning for a Sustainable Future.

Dr. Acton’s research examines leadership and educational change through qualitative and mixed-methods approaches across local, national, and international contexts. Her publications explore topics such as principals as change agents, leadership in challenging circumstances, and transformative pedagogies in sustainability education – including age-appropriate climate change education for young learners. Her research also includes cross-national perspectives, such as a recent study examining the motivations of Doctor of Education (EdD) students across six countries.