Meet our teamS!
Simple Interactions is a collaborative effort of teams at three institutions: The Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and University of Pittsburgh. Below you can learn more about the teams and our work!
FRed rogers Center
Dr. Dana Winters is the Director of Simple Interactions and Academic Programs at the Fred Rogers Center. She contributed significantly to expanding the use of Simple Interactions across early childhood and other developmental contexts.She leads the team at The Fred Rogers Center to use Simple Interactions to support child-serving professionals across Pennsylvania and other states.
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DAna Winters, pH.D.DIRECTOR OF SIMPLE INTERACTIONS
AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Growing the use of the Simple Interactions
approach for adult-child and adult-adult interactions across multiple contexts to serve children and the adults who help them. dana.winters@stvincent.edu |
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ANNIE WHITE, PH.D.SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
Contributes to ongoing Simple Interactions
research and professional learning efforts across contexts, including a specialization in out-of-school and informal learning. annie.mcnamara@stvincent.edu |
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EMMA LEE, M.ED.SENIOR PROGRAM
ASSOCIATE Supports practice, policy, and research
efforts around early childhood contexts for Simple Interactions initiatives. emma.lee@stvincent.edu |
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KATE LUCHINIMEDIA AND DESIGN
SPECIALIST Creates and designs innovative marketing
materials, and artistically enhances program materials for electronic and print media for the Simple Interactions Project and the Fred Rogers Center. katherine.luchini@stvincent.edu |
HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Dr. Junlei Li is the Saul Zaentz Senior Lecturer of Early Childhood Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is the creator of the Simple Interactions Tool. He has explored the use of Simple Interactions across a wide range of settings, from orphanages to classrooms. In his work with The Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative, Dr. Li is focused on informing practice and system change with the science of human interactions.
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JUNLEI LI, PH.D.SAUL ZAENTZ SENIOR LECTURER
IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Research and practice focuses on
understanding and supporting the work of helpers – those who serve children and families on the frontlines of education and social services. Junlei_li@gse.harvard.edu |
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
Dr. Tom Akiva engages in both practice and research around Simple Interactions. Specializing in out of school time and informal learning settings, Dr. Akiva's team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education offers professional development around the SI approach and engages in research to deepen our understanding of how and why SI works.
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TOM AKIVA, PH.D.ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR,
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Research focuses on understanding
and improving out-of-school learning (OSL) program experiences for children and youth. tomakiva@pitt.edu |