Rebecca J. Griffiths, Principal InvestigatorRebecca Griffiths, EdD, MBA, is the principal investigator for the LEARN Network. Griffiths brings over 20 years of experience leading projects in K–12 and postsecondary education, primarily focused on investigating benefits, costs, and implementation of educational innovations. She has worked extensively with developers, education partners, and funders to address challenges of scaling and sustainability, drawing on her earlier experience as a strategy consultant and product manager.
Jessica Mislevy, Co-Principal InvestigatorJessica Mislevy, PhD, is co-principal investigator and leads educator engagement and research activities. Mislevy brings extensive experience with the use of research to make decisions in education. She has led large-scale impact, implementation, and cost evaluations of educational interventions. Many of these evaluations have involved developing and administering surveys for educators and education leaders.
Zafeiria Panou, Co-Principal InvestigatorZafeiria Panou, MA, is co-principal investigator and co-lead for product team engagement. Panou brings unique experience with developing and scaling up products using the IAT framework. She collaborates with SRI researchers to assess the commercial potential of technologies, and she supports diligence for investments in early-stage start-ups and pre-incubation business concepts. She has held various market research roles in strategy consulting.
Vanessa Coleman, Senior AdvisorVanessa Coleman, EdD, is a senior advisor with a focus on network development and stakeholder engagement. Coleman brings her extensive experience as a change management leader and technical assistance designer and provider. Coleman also has expertise in designing and leading learning and change-focused networks using various improvement science methods, including Liberatory Design. Before coming to SRI, Coleman was the director of The Equity Project at the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
W. Carl Sumi, Senior AdvisorW. Carl Sumi, PhD, is a senior advisor and co-lead for product team engagement. Sumi has decades of experience building and sustaining buy-in to support the implementation and scaling of evidence-based products. He also has extensive experience using rigorous methods to evaluate the implementation and impact of educational interventions. Sumi works closely with product teams and educators to ensure proper implementation of programs and access to evidence-based practices, while communicating study results to both school communities and the research field.
Kori Hamilton Biagas, Dissemination LeadKori Hamilton Biagas, MEd, is the dissemination lead. Hamilton Biagas has nearly 20 years of experience in instruction, education policy, and technical assistance. She brings extensive experience communicating scientific research to practitioners in accessible and informative ways. Hamilton Biagas specializes in designing and managing education project websites, interactive web spaces, e-newsletters, and social media accounts.
Ela Joshi, Research Design and Implementation SupportEla Joshi, PhD, supports the design and implementation of research activities. She brings experience with mixed-methods data collection and analysis in school systems, including with federally funded studies aiming to understand the processes through which educational innovations may scale and sustain through the use of Networked Improvement Community (NIC) structures. Previously, Joshi was an elementary school teacher in Phoenix, Arizona.
Candice Benge, Research Team SupportCandice Benge, MLA, MPA, supports research team activities, including development of surveys and interview protocols, literature reviews, and data collection. Benge is a mixed-methods researcher with experience in school finance, California education policy, and educational equity.
Kerry Friedman, Project DirectorKerry Friedman, MPP, is the project director. Friedman has experience leading dissemination, training, coaching, and technical support projects that build the capacity of practitioners to understand and apply evidence in the education system. She has also directed operations for large, complex projects.
Keena Walters, M.A. Ed.Keena Walters, M.A. Ed., is an equity-focused qualitative researcher in education. Walters is an expert in creating protocols for interviews and focus groups. Walters has conducted evaluations of social-emotional learning, ELA, and math in K-6th. She has additionally worked on projects with alternative high schools and higher education students.
Erin Smith, Project ManagerErin Smith, MPP, is project manager and supports research activities, product team engagement, and dissemination. Smith has knowledge of college and career access and pathway systems, career and technical education, and education advocacy. She brings experience with qualitative data collection and policy writing.
Hannah Kumbroch, Dissemination SupportHannah Kumbroch supports dissemination on the network. Kumbroch has experience collecting qualitative data and conducting research on early literacy. She currently supports networked learning, technical assistance, and dissemination.