Niobe Way, Ed. D., Co-Founder of The Listening Project, is a Professor of Applied Psychology in the Department of Applied Psychology at New York University. She is also the co-Director of the Center for Research on Culture, Development, and Education at NYU and the past President for the Society for Research on Adolescence. She received her doctorate from Harvard University in Human Development and Psychology. Way’s research focuses on the intersections of culture, context, and human development, with a particular focus on the social and emotional development of adolescents.

For Dr. Way's publications, see her CV.

Joseph D. Nelson, Ph.D., Co-Founder of The Listening Project, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Swarthmore College, and affiliated faculty with the Black Studies Program, and the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program. He is also a Senior Research Fellow with the Center for the Study of Boys' and Girls' Lives at the University of Pennsylvania. His research employs interdisciplinary frameworks to examine identity, culture, and urban school reform from a qualitative inquiry stance. In the low-income neighborhood where he grew up, Dr. Nelson taught first-grade in a single-sex class of Black and Latino boys.

For Dr. Nelson publications, see his CV

Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Ph.D., is the Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education at New York University Steinhardt, and a University Professor at NYU. He is the Co-Director of the Global TIES for Children Center. He conducts work on child and youth development in the areas of immigration, refugee and humanitarian contexts, early childhood, poverty reduction, and sexuality. He engages in research-practice and research-policy partnerships in the United States as well as in Latin America, South Asia, and the Middle East.

For Dr. Yoshikawa’s publications, see his CV.

Holly Van Hare, M.A., is the Director of The Listening Project. She received her Master’s degree in Experimental Humanities and Social Engagement from New York University, where she focused her research on educational spaces and how cultural biases and stereotypes hinder access to education and affect learning experiences for certain groups. Holly has taught in public schools in New York City and Boston, MA and has a background in curriculum development. Additionally, she has participated in research in trauma-informed and preventative health education programs, body size and inclusivity in education, and anti-oppressive education.

Jinjoo Han, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Scientist at PACH. She received her doctorate in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from New York University with a focus on quantitative research methods. Her research focuses on understanding the role of proximal social processes in both the school and home settings for effecting educational change. Dr. Han aims to use quantitative research methods to uncover a deeper understanding of the developmental trajectories of children's socialization skills in the classroom setting to positively impact education practice and policy.

For Dr. Han’s publications, see her CV.

Sean Small is the Assistant Director of The Listening Project. He received his Bachelor's degree in Applied Psychology from New York University with a focus on the Science of Human Connection. There, he gained a breadth of experience and knowledge, culminating in multiple publications under the mentorship of Judite Blanc, Ph.D. whom he has had the pleasure to continue working with at the University of Miami Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences. He has served as a NSF-REU Fellow at the Baruch College Social Psychology Lab under Jaihyun Park, Ph.D. where he examined the impacts of biased prosecution and defendant statements on jury decision-making in ambiguous police violence cases. Sean has partnered with multiple public and private schools in New York City with a background in adolescent development.

For Sean’s publications, see his LinkedIn page.

The Listening Project has a team of volunteer Research Assistants consisting of New York University undergraduate and graduate students. These students often serve the project on a semester-long or year-long basis, though many of our Research Assistants remain with The Listening Project for multiple years. Research Assistants may serve as classroom assistants under Holly Van Hare and Sean Small or research development and evaluation assistants under Dr. Jinjoo Han throughout implementation of The Listening Project.