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.
Sarah D. Sahni has more than 15 years of experience in research design, quantitative analysis, and project management. She has led efforts to establish and refine processes for conducting systematic reviews of evaluation rigor and findings for multiple projects including the U.S. Department of Education’s Mathematics and Science Partnerships and ...
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 ...
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 ...
Robert Schwarzhaupt is a quantitative researcher at AIR, where he seeks to broaden participation in CS and STEM by examining PK-12 teacher preparation, instruction, and professional development, particularly for underserved and underrepresented groups.
Melissa Brown-Sims is a senior researcher at AIR. She is the project manager of two multi-year Transition-to-Teaching (TTT) evaluations with the Chicago Public Schools, a five-year state-wide evaluation of school leadership focused professional development program in Mississippi, and oversees AIR’s technical assistance support team of twenty-eight U.S. Department of Education ...
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 ...
Lois Kimmel is a TA consultant at AIR. Kimmel’s expertise focuses on educator shortages and diversifying the teacher workforce, with a specific emphasis on teacher recruitment and preparation. Ms. Kimmel builds the capacity of state education agencies to strengthen their workforce through designing interactive professional development workshops, conducting mixed-methods research, ...
Lynn Mellor is a principal researcher at AIR, where she provides overall leadership for all aspects of the analytic technical support and research and evaluation studies for the REL Southwest. Dr. Mellor’s responsibilities include managing the coordination and implementation of analytic technical support with research alliance members. In addition, she conducts ...
H. Richard (Rich) Milner IV is Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Education and professor of education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. In April 2022, Professor Milner received the prestigious Joseph A. Johnson, Jr. Distinguished Leadership Professor Award, one of Vanderbilt University’s highest honors. His ...