Brian Johnsrud

Brian Johnsrud, PhD, is the Global Head of Education, Learning, and Advocacy at Adobe. His work focuses on how creativity, communication, and emerging technologies—particularly generative AI—can expand access to learning, strengthen student engagement and wellbeing, and better prepare learners for college, careers, and civic life. Brian brings a practitioner-scholar perspective shaped by experience across teaching, research, and product innovation. He holds a PhD from Stanford with a focus on education, learning science, and digital media studies. He has taught at the K–12 and higher education levels and previously served as Executive Director of the Stanford Poetic Media Lab, an interdisciplinary research lab spanning digital humanities and education. Before joining Adobe, Brian led content, curriculum, and pedagogy at Khan Academy, expanding its offerings into the humanities, social sciences, and arts to reach over 190 million learners worldwide. Today, he collaborates closely with universities, school systems, policymakers, and industry partners to translate research into practical, classroom-ready strategies. He serves on the World Economic Forum’s Education 4.0 Global Alliance Advisory Board and has spent over a decade on the Rhodes Trust selection committee for U.S. Rhodes Scholars. His recent research and publications explore the role of creativity in student success, educator wellbeing, and workforce readiness in the age of AI.