Niu Gao is a principal researcher at AIR specializing in K-12 education policy. Her current work focuses on COVID-19 and education, and she is leading multiple projects to examine the impact of the pandemic on K-12 education and identify effective strategies to help students recover—and recover equitably. Her other areas ...
Ann-Marie Akiwumi is a principal data scientist in the Health program at AIR. She has over 13 years of experience conducting focused analytic studies and advanced analytics using a variety of large disparate data including Medicare and Medicaid administrative, Marketplace, health equity, and social determinants of health (SDOH) data. As ...
Bobbi Newman is a principal researcher and director of AIR’s practice area for standards and assessments. She has more than 15 years of experience in research and evaluation of school reform efforts. Dr. Newman has worked at every level of the education system, from the classroom to the state. As ...
Jessica Heppen, a nationally recognized expert in education research, policy, and practice, is the president & CEO of AIR. Dr. Heppen been with AIR for 20 years and, in that time, has held several key roles during her tenure.
Thomas de Hoop directs a research and evaluation portfolio with a focus on the impact, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of self-help groups, savings groups, and education innovations in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
Kwelin Waller is senior program manager with the AIR Equity Initiative. Waller works to combine research and technical assistance with real-world applications, leading the Equity Initiative's work in the interconnected areas of workforce development, community health and well-being. Additionally, she leads the AIR Scholars and Leaders Award grant competition, an initiative that ...
Karin Johnson is a principal researcher in the Health Division at AIR. Her primary responsibilities include providing subject matter expertise to support healthcare innovation efforts, including data system modernization. Dr. Johnson applies her nearly 20 years of management and research experience to lead research and technical assistance teams in close ...
Guido Cataife is a vice president and the program area lead for the Evaluation, Methods, and Analytics program area within the Health Division at AIR. He oversees a portfolio of approximately 20 projects with a focus on health economics. This includes the operations of health care payment and delivery models, ...
Abigail Woodroffe is a principal researcher in the Health Division at AIR. She has over 10 years of experience supporting and managing large, complex projects for federal clients, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, ...
Susan Bowles Therriault is an Institute Fellow at AIR focusing on AIR’s K-12 Systemic Improvement Portfolio of work. For over 20 years, she has led and conducted research that focuses on state and federal education efforts to build the capacity of high-needs districts and schools to improve outcomes and increase ...