Project CATALYZE is teamwork and we want to partner with YOU!
Project CATALYZE is funded by the United States Department of Education - Education Innovation Research, and lead by Dr. Tish Jennings, Professor of Education at the University of Virginia. Working with the CPS Office of Social and Emotional Learning, we will invite 40 elementary schools to participate in the project
(20 in year 1 + 20 in year 2).
The CATALYZE team is composed of five teams: CPS SEL Office, University of Virginia, American Institutes for Research (AIR), SEL Worldwide, and CREATE.
Chicago Public Schools
The Office of Social and Emotional Learning is supporting the CATALYZE project efforts...
University of Virginia
Dr. Jennings and her colleagues at the Curry School of Education. Dr. Jennings has extensive experience in conducting and coordinating school-based research focusing on teacher development.
AIR - American Institutes for Research
The American Institutes for Research (AIR), one of the largest education and social science research organizations in the world, will conduct the independent evaluation.
SEL Worldwide
SEL Worldwide has been delivering PATHS® Curriculum professional development to schools for many years.
CREATE
CREATE is a new organization founded to deliver research-tested mindfulness-based SEL programs and has an exclusive license with the Garrison Institute, owner of the CARE IP, to deliver CARE.
US Department of Education - EIR
The United States Department of Education - Education Innovation Research funded the CATALYZE project under the Grant # U411C190159
Meet our Team
Tish Jennings
Professor at the University of Virginia
Director of Project CATALYZE
Dr. Jennings has extensive experience in conducting and coordinating school-based research focusing on teacher development.
Christa Turksma
Co-Founder of CARE and a child-clinical psychologist who received her training in The Netherlands. Before becoming a psychologist, she was a Kindergarten teacher and principal.
Tara Hofkens
Research Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia. With a PhD in Learning Science and an MS in Applied Developmental Psychology, her research examines how stress influences children’s engagement, learning, and development in school.
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Jean Sack
Supportive Schools Manager, Office of Social & Emotional Learning - Supportive Schools Team
Mark Greenberg
Dr. Mark Greenberg holds The Bennett Endowed Chair at Penn State and founded the Prevention Research Center. He is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for CREATE and a co-developer of the PATHS® Curriculum.
Dorothy Morelli
CEO of SEL Worldwide
With more than 30 years of experience in elementary and secondary education. Morelli is a partner in SEL Worldwide which provides training and coaching support in the use of PATHS®.
Karime Cameron
Research Project Manager at the University of Virginia and Project Coordinator for the CATALYZE project.
Adam King
Elementary School SEL Support Manager at Chicago Public Schools
Kim Kendziora
Principal Investigator and Managing Researcher at AIR with experience and expertise in evaluating school-based student support initiatives.
Yibing Li
Senior Researcher at American Institutes for Research
Education researcher and evaluator with experience in school-based intervention, study design, statistical analysis, project management, and proposal writing.
Tara Zuber
Researcher at American Institutes for Research
Adenia Linker
On-site Consultant for Project CATALYZE
