PJ Woolston

PJ Woolston, Ed.D., is the director of strategic insights for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.

At Lumina, Woolston develops and implements a strong internal infrastructure for impact measurement and learning, helping us assess and understand how our work is being operationalized across strategies and concentration areas. He plays a key role in fostering a learning culture by synthesizing data, surfacing key insights, and “telling the story” of our work. His leadership will ensure that staff and leadership remain informed about what we are achieving, what we are learning, and how we can continuously improve.

Woolston brings over 20 years of experience in higher education, having worked across diverse institutional types—public and private, large and small, independent and system, urban and rural. Most recently, he served as the vice chancellor for enrollment management at IU Indianapolis, where he played a pivotal role in the university’s realignment and led its first enrollment increase in a decade. His career has been dedicated to supporting all student populations, leveraging data and research to drive meaningful change, and sharing insights through national, regional, and state-level presentations.

Woolston earned a bachelor’s degree in french studies from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree in music from the University of Michigan, and a doctoral degree in higher education administration from the University of Southern California.

Beyond his professional expertise, Woolston is an accomplished musician, a speaker of multiple languages, and an avid athlete. He is based in Lumina’s Indianapolis office.