Our Team

Founder and CEO

christina_hinton@fas.harvard.edu

Christina Hinton is the Founder and Executive Director of RSI. For the past five years, Dr. Hinton was a faculty member at Harvard Graduate School of Education where she lectured on the neuroscience of learning, social-emotional learning, global competence, and school-based research. Prior to that, she worked in multilateral diplomacy and international policy-making at the OECD's Center for Educational Research and Innovation. She holds a doctorate from Harvard.

Director of Research

cglennon@post.harvard.edu

Catherine Glennon is Director of Research at Research Schools International. Her primary motivation as a researcher is to connect research and practice in primary and secondary schools. Glennon’s research interests include musical development, growth mindset, global education, care, and flourishing. She has been trained at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Director of Practice

jah572@mail.harvard.edu

Jim completed the Doctorate of Education Leadership program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His main motivation is to develop approaches to research that can serve as levers of improvement in school contexts. He is particularly interested in understanding how best to create democratic cultures in classrooms and schools, starting with pedagogy. Originally from the UK, he has spent the last ten years working there as a teacher, administrator, and researcher.

Researcher

ler607@mail.harvard.edu

Emiliana Rodríguez is Co-founder of Made for Joy. Her main field of expertise is the intersection between Neuroscience, Education, Contemplative practices and Technology. She has a background in Physics, a Master’s degree in Mind, Brain and Education from Harvard University. She collaborated with the Ministry of Education in Mexico, designing SEL programs and imparting workshops that have impacted more than 80,000 teachers and more than 25 million children in Mexico. She has co-authored seven books on Social and Emotional Learning skills and ethics and delivered more than 300 presentations.

Researcher

lauren_schiller@mail.harvard.edu

Lauren completing her Ph.D. in Cognitive Studies in Education at Columbia University and her Ed.M. from the Mind, Brain and Education program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is broadly interested in mathematics education and Universal Design for Learning.

Researcher

cyntia_barzelatto@mail.harvard.edu

Cyntia graduated from the Human Development and Psychology program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is mainly interested in the promotion of social and emotional learning from early childhood in innovative spaces, in and beyond the classroom. Her research interests include self and social awareness, compassion development, mindfulness and other contemplative practices, love and romantic relationships and second language learning.

Researcher

ariellejennings@gmail.com

Arielle Jennings graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Master of Education in Human Development and Psychology.  Arielle's research interests include student-centered pedagogy, civic and moral development and youth voice. Her professional experience includes eight years of civic and global experiential education, curricular design, and teacher training in K-12 and higher education institutions.   

Researcher

bmascio.teacher@gmail.com

Bryan Mascio completed his doctorate in Human Development and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). He is currently an education consultant, Faculty-in-Residence for Power of Place Learning Communities, and an adjunct lecturer at HGSE.  With a background as a K-12 teacher and as a teacher educator, he works with teachers and schools who wish to maximize equity-oriented pedagogies to best support students and families that have been disserved by traditional schooling.  His scholarship unites theory-based research with pragmatic practitioner-based experience.

Researcher

malloryhperry@gmail.com

Mallory Perry graduated with a Masters of Education from the Human Development and Psychology program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Following two years on the administrative team at a private Montessori school in Boston, Mallory joined RSI's team where her research has focused on student centered learning, Harkness and growth mindset.

Researcher

ass805@mail.harvard.edu

Ashim graduated with a Master’s degree in Education from the International Education Policy program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research interests include global competence, civic education and social-emotional skills.His experience includes more than 14 years of classroom teaching in international education environments. Ash has also worked on research projects with UNICEF South Asia and Harvard GSE's Global Education Innovation Initiative.

Researcher

rsd416@mail.harvard.edu

Rina graduated from the Mind, Brain, and Education program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research interests are developing self awareness and self regulation through yoga and mindfulness practice. She writes a mindful living column for adults on Sonima.com and creates written, illustrated, and audio children's books.

Researcher

heather_francis@mail.harvard.edu

Heather graduated from the Mind, Brain and Education program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her main research interests include language and literacy development. Specifically she is interested in intersection of language learning and reading disabilities. She is passionate about using educational neuroscience research to empower students, practitioners and parents.

Researcher

seh106@mail.harvard.edu

Sally graduated from the International Education Policy program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research interests include understanding the long-term impacts of receiving a global education at the K-12 level, how to bring global education effectively into the local classroom, and the role of language in shaping the identity of multilingual speakers.

Researcher

cmm937@mail.harvard.edu

Christine graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education's International Education Policy program. She specializes in how global education can foster empathy, curiosity and a sense of social responsibility in students.

Researcher

lilian.c.cheung@gmail.com

Lilian Cheung holds a Master's in Statistics from North Carolina State University and a B.S. in Mathematics-Statistics and Economics from University of Connecticut. Her primary goal is to use statistics to support research efforts that improve educational outcomes for all students. 

Researcher

brw079@mail.harvard.edu

Brianna graduated with an Ed.M. in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education..  Her research interests focus on teacher learning and the development of adaptive expertise, but also include mindfulness, motivation, and self-regulation. Her professional repertoire includes teaching, coaching, professional development, improvement science and design based research. 

Researcher

April Canahuati Menendez graduated from the Human Development and Education Master's program at Harvard Graduate School of Education with a concentration in Global, International and Comparative Education. She is exploring her role as a researcher and developing tools to effectively inform policy and practice. At Harvard, she was a graduate fellow for the Immigration Initiative, student ambassador for the Center for International Development, student council member and First-Gen organization board member. Her passions lie in serving the immigrant community, both within the U.S. and internationally.

Researcher

jonathancook@gse.harvard.edu

Jon Cook is a researcher at both RSI and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. He studies education policy and analysis at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He holds a bachelor's degree in history and journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests include increasing access to quality education, childhood character development, and optimizing resource allocation, especially within the K-12 public school setting.

Researcher & Executive Assistant

ailyn_alvarezperez@college.harvard.edu

Ailyn Alissandra studies Psychology and neuroscience at Harvard University. Passionate about addressing systemic inequities, Alissandra aspires to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology to advance research on restorative justice for marginalized communities. Alissandra’s work centers on supporting immigrant families in the U.S. and advocating for adolescents and parents in Cuba, promoting mental health access and resilience through culturally-grounded practices. As the co-founder and director of the Franklin Teen’s Mentoring Program, Alissandra is committed to bridging gaps in educational and emotional support for underrepresented youth, creating spaces for empowerment, growth, and healing.

Executive Assistant

hildebrandthildebrandt@college.harvard.edu

Poppy Hildebrandt is an executive assistant at RSI. She is also a research assistant Dr. Christina Hinton at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard, working on promoting character skills, loving relationships and flourishing.