Julia Mahfouz, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Leadership for Educational Organizations program, School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado-Denver. She is also the director of the Prosocial Leader Lab. She is one of the inaugural cohort members of CASEL Weissberg scholars and has recently received the Joseph E. Zins Distinguished Scientist Award for Outstanding contributions to action research in Social and emotional learning. Her research explores the social, emotional, and cultural dynamics of educational settings placing specific emphasis on Adult SEL, specifically school administrators and the integration of systemic SEL into principal preparation programs. She also investigates how preparation programs, professional development, and certification standards can be strengthened to enhance effective leadership by supporting principals to deepen their social and emotional competencies.

Her research has been published in journals such as Journal of Educational Administration, Educational Management Administration and Leadership, International Journal of Leadership in Education, Education and Urban Society, Mindfulness, College Student Affairs Journal, and in practitioner outlets such as The Learning Professional and Education Canada.

She is currently (2023-2024) the program chair of International Studies SIG, and the outgoing-chair of Leadership for School Improvement SIG under American Educational Research Association (AERA).

She is also the co-editor of two books: Supporting Leaders for School Improvement through Self-Care and Wellbeing and the book, Demystifying Educational Leadership and Administration in the Middle East and North Africa.