Xinsheng “Cindy” Cai is a principal researcher at AIR. As a knowledge translation (KT) expert, Dr. Cai is invited by the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide consultation to help develop a global research agenda on KT and evidence-informed policymaking. Dr. Cai serves as the co-chair and editor of the Knowledge ...
David Seidenfeld is a senior vice president and leads AIR's International Development Division, overseeing a portfolio of more than 50 active research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects in low- and middle-income countries around the globe. He also oversees AIR’s Technology Solutions and data science practices and is the executive liaison ...
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.
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 ...
Steve Leinwand is a principal researcher at AIR and has over 30 years of leadership positions in mathematics education. He currently serves as mathematics expert on a wide range of AIR projects that evaluate programs, develop assessments, and provide technical assistance. Leinwand’s work at AIR has included developing specifications and ...
Rebecca Zumeta Edmonds is a managing researcher at the AIR in Washington, DC, where she serves as the co-director of the National Center on Intensive Intervention, and as project director for an Investing in Innovation and Improvement (i3) Development Grant. She previously coordinated services for the Response to Intervention Center ...
Kim Gattis is a nationally recognized expert in large-scale mathematics assessments through her work at the state, national, and international levels. For over a decade she has led AIR projects supporting the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. Currently ...
Jordan Rickles is a principal researcher at AIR. Dr. Rickles has fifteen years of education research and evaluation experience, including work within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the University of California National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). He specializes in research design ...
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 ...
Toni M. Smith is a managing researcher at AIR where she directs research and development projects focused on mathematics instruction and teacher professional learning.
Dr. Smith currently directs the development and experimental testing of a virtual coaching program designed to improve the alignment of teachers’ instruction to state standards funded by ...