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.
Nicholas Sorensen is a principal researcher at AIR. His research is primarily focused on dropout prevention and helping struggling students succeed across the transition to high school. His work emphasizes the role of social psychological interventions, strategies to support success in algebra and mathematics, and use of early warning systems ...
Douglas Fuchs is an Institute Fellow at AIR. He is also Professor of Special Education and Nicholas Hobbs Chair of Special Education and Human Development and Professor Pediatrics in the Vanderbilt University Medical School, Department of Special Education. At Vanderbilt, Fuchs has been principal investigator of 50 federally-sponsored research grants. ...
Flora Harmon is a researcher at AIR. Her work focuses on advancing equitable based practices in early childhood and child welfare systems. Dr. Harmon has been working in the early childhood field since 2006 and has extensive research and practice expertise in the areas of equity, early childhood education, child ...
Jessica Mason is a senior researcher at AIR with a focus on postsecondary education. Her areas of expertise include college and career readiness, postsecondary student success initiatives, postsecondary models of competency-based education, and alternative forms of student financial aid. In addition to higher education content expertise, she has expertise in ...
Cecilia Xuning Zhang is an interdisciplinary researcher with years of mixed-methods research experience and a wide breadth of content knowledge in the areas of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Technology-Based Learning Supports. She has rich technical expertise in collecting and analyzing extant data to inform enrollment trends and population estimates, leading user ...
Eboni Howard is a managing researcher at AIR with over 24 years of experience in the areas of early childhood and family support, as well as program administration and management. Dr. Howard has served as a senior advisor, principal investigator, or project director for over 38 projects. She is nationally ...
Barbara Broman is director of cross-cutting strategic initiatives in AIR’s Health and Social Development program. Her responsibilities include identifying and accessing opportunities with federal agencies, states, and foundations; collaborating with other AIR program areas and outside organizations; guiding teams working in and across systems on the conceptualization of ideas and ...
Robert Nathenson is a senior researcher at AIR. He has over 10 years of experience in the execution of rigorous econometric and behavioral science techniques to applied policy questions in the postsecondary education, pre-k-12 education, and health fields. Dr. Nathenson regularly conducts research using both experimental and quasi-experimental designs. His ...
Courtney Tanenbaum is a managing researcher with a specialization in postsecondary education research and evaluation. Her doctoral work focused on policies and practices that effectively expand access to college and promote more equitable opportunities and outcomes for the diversity of the nation’s students. Key areas of interest and expertise include ...