Our senior leadership team respresents accomplished researchers, thought leaders and educators who are committed to using AI for social good. They are the fulcrum of the governing structure of the institute.

The senior leadership team meets regularly to ensure that AI4ExceptionalEd's numerous research and community activities are well-concerted and aligned with its goals.

Collectively, members of the team: coordinate the Institute’s end-to-end scientific research agenda; are responsible for driving research collaborations, timelines and deliverables; and manage day-to-day business including staffing, resource allocation, communication and reporting. They ensure compliance with research guidelines within the Institute including Institutional Review Board (IRB) and other processes.

The External Advisory Board (EAB) helps to ensure that the vision of the Institute is well served by the research and provides suggestions for modifications. The EAB helps the leadership team identify priorities, seek strategic partnerships, gain access to connections in the stakeholder communities and pursue other resources and potential sources of support.

EAB members are thought leaders representing academia, industry, government, state and local agencies and non-profit organizations. The current board has six members with diverse experience and expertise — internationally known AI researchers, and leaders in early education, special education, learning science, speech-language pathology, diversity, equity and inclusion and service to underrepresented populations and the community at-large.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds scientists and engineers to perform research that advances discovery and innovation. The agency also expects researchers' work to have broader impacts: the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

Our Broader Impact Initiative Leads oversee the five initiatives identified as critically important outcomes of this project: Education and Workforce Development, Community Outreach, Knowledge Transfer, Broadening Participation and DEI and Validation of Impacts. 

Our members have expertise and experience in their impact area, and each is uniquely qualified to provide leadership and significant contributions to the initiative. 

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. 

Mission: To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes.
Vision: A nation that leads the world in science and engineering research and innovation, to the benefit of all, without barriers to participation.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the statistics, research and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. It is independent and non-partisan.

Mission: To provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers and the public.