JIM CONNELL

Jim, president and cofounder of IRRE, developed First Things First and has continued to strengthen its framework through a decade of implementation and evaluation. Long recognized for his research on youth development in urban settings and the “theory of change” approach to planning and evaluation of system change, work in adolescent development and a theory-of-change approach to youth issues, he has become one of the nation’s foremost experts on education reform, especially at the secondary level. He advises policy-makers, foundations and educators on reform issues and frequently contributes theoretical and practice-based writings to a wide variety of national venues.

Jim is a former special education teacher and professor at the University of Rochester, where his research was recognized by major awards from the American Psychological Association and the W.T. Grant Foundation. In 1989, he co-founded IRRE with his faculty colleague, Louisa Pierson. He has devoted his career to applying knowledge from research and experience to improving children’s lives.

Jim holds a doctorate in developmental psychology from the University of Denver.

Click here to read Jim Connell's full curriculum vitae.