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.
Stephanie Cronen is a managing researcher at AIR. Dr. Cronen’s work during the past 20+ years has focused largely on managing and conducting large-scale research studies, including survey research, experimental studies, and mixed-methods studies in adult education, professional development, and workforce preparation. ...
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 ...
Kathleen M. Murphy is a managing researcher in the Workforce program area at AIR. She directs business development related to adults with disabilities at AIR, in her role as lead of AIR's work on individuals with disabilities.
Dr. Murphy is principal investigator for AIR’s Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation ...
Amy Young is a principal TA consultant at AIR with over 20 years of experience in public policy, program management, and technical assistance in the workforce development field. She is an accomplished director with extensive experience designing and leading high-profile projects, complex technical assistance initiatives, and large-scale grants and contracts. ...
Jaleh Behroozi Soroui is the director of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) at AIR. She directs PIAAC team at AIR in providing expertise, technical assistance, and management support for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education in the development ...
Orrin T. Murray is a principal researcher at AIR. His primary responsibilities include overseeing the research practice partnership for the Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest (REL Midwest). He is the principal investigator on a U.S. Department of Education EIR evaluation of Austin Independent School District’s implementation of culturally responsive and restorative practices, ...
Jennifer Pirtle is a principal technical assistance consultant at AIR with 25 years of experience in the workforce and economic development field. She serves as project director for several projects in AIR’s Workforce Development Program and Policy Division, including the U.S. Department of Labor’s Real-Time State and Regional TA project, ...
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 ...
Christina Yancey is vice president of workforce development within AIR’s Human Services Division. A nationally recognized workforce policy and program evaluation expert, Dr. Yancey champions the use of rigorous mixed methods to build and apply new knowledge. She has extensive expertise building institutional capacity for data use, while promoting innovation, ...