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 ...
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.
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 ...
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. ...
Kathleen L. Pfannenstiel is a senior researcher at AIR and provides technical assistance and professional development to states and school districts with an emphasis on improving results for students with disabilities. Dr. Pfannenstiel is the principle investigator for an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) model demonstration grant. She works ...
Lynn Fuchs is an Institute Fellow at AIR and a research professor at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Fuchs conducts programmatic research on assessment methods for enhancing instructional planning, on instructional methods for improving mathematics and reading outcomes for students with learning disabilities, and on the cognitive and linguistic student characteristics associated ...
James Colyott is a senior TA consultant at AIR with over twenty years of experience in rural district and school leadership, monitoring, and improvement. Colyott is currently the project director for the Developing a Statewide School Improvement Implementation Monitoring Tool Project with the Wyoming Department of Education, the project lead ...
Julie Jacobson Vann has more than 40 years of experience in health services that spans the delivery of public health and patient care services, health services and Medicaid managed care administration, research and evaluation, and academic teaching. More than 20 of those years have involved planning, managing and directing health ...
Kevin Junk is a TA Consultant at AIR. Junk has over 20 years of experience supporting school improvement in public education from rural, suburban, and urban districts. Currently, Junk is leading a project with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) through the Region 9 Comprehensive Center. This project consists ...
Tammy Kolbe is a principal researcher at AIR, specializing in evaluating the resources and costs associated with effectively implementing policies and programs in PK-16 educational organizations. A particular focus of her work has been funding and costs for special education programs for children with disabilities, having led multiple projects that ...