Stephen Owens

Director of Policy and Advocacy, Brown's Promise

Stephen began in education policy as a graduate assistant, chronicling the spread and use of research in shaping legislation. Upon graduation he served as a data analyst at the Georgia Department of Education. There he created and maintained data visualizations to help policymakers better understand school outcomes and assisted in the writing of Georgia’s plan to implement the federal government’s reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Prior to joining Brown’s Promise Stephen was the Education Director for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, where he advocated for equitable and excellent public schools through research and data analysis. He started and led the statewide education funding coalition, Fund Georgia's Future, to center the voices of those traditionally left out of the education advocacy space. Stephen’s work shaped debates on topics ranging from private school vouchers to school bus funding.

Stephen graduated from the University of Georgia, where he holds a doctorate with a focus on education policy. He lives in the greatest city in the world, Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and children.