Sherri Widen, PhD

Research Manager

For a long time, Sherri Widen was quite satisfied doing basic psychology research, especially with a focus on looking at how children’s understanding of emotion develops and changes with age. She received a BA in psychology and an MA in developmental psychology from the University of British Columbia, and went on to earn her doctorate in developmental psychology from Boston College.

Then she moved into the more applied field of educational psychology, working on a social-emotional learning (SEL) program. “It helped open my eyes to all the possibilities there are to supporting children to develop and flourish,” she says.

With that combined background in research and intervention, Sherri joined Committee for Children in 2018. As the research manager, she oversees research assistants as they help develop SEL products that are both research informed and evidence based. “We want to make sure any claims we’re making, or particular things we’re trying to teach kids, are supported by the research out there,” she says. “We also collect our own data so we can inform people about changes in our curricula.”

As for her own SEL superpower, she believes it’s perspective-taking, which she employs in all her interpersonal interactions. “I use it when things aren’t going the way I expect,” Sherri says. “I think about the other person’s perspective so I’m not just focusing on what’s happening to me.”

Sherri is grateful she has the opportunity to contribute to our mission of helping children thrive in a peaceful world. She says, “Committee for Children has enormous reach and this is an exciting time to work toward the goal of reaching 100 million children per year by 2030.”

Cailin Currie, PhD

Research Scientist

As a researcher, Cailin Currie has looked at everything from preschoolers’ school readiness and elementary students’ mindfulness to middle schoolers’ academic motivation and traditionally underrepresented undergraduate students’ sense of belonging in STEM majors.

In April 2018, she brought her experience in investigating the best, evidence-based strategies for supporting students’ success inside and outside the classroom to Committee for Children, where she works as a research scientist conducting assessments and collecting feedback on our products at multiple stages. She’s also supporting one of the company’s product development teams as their researcher.

Cailin has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a master’s and PhD in applied developmental psychology from Portland State University.

Her SEL superpower is accurate self-perception. “Being aware of what’s going on internally and externally has been a big priority for me in the last 10 years,” she says. “It’s helped me interact with others and better understand my needs and what strategies work best for me.”

Eva Chen

Research Assistant

Eva Chen is a social science researcher who brings an interdisciplinary approach to her role as research assistant at Committee for Children. Prior to joining our organization, she worked on a variety of projects, including qualitative analysis of Congressional representation of racial minorities, quantitative research of Asian American political behavior and racialization, and community outreach to promote energy justice and sustainable energy.

“While I really enjoy the inquisitive and analytical nature of research, I’m also very passionate about community engagement and direct advocacy,” says Eva. Her breadth of experience in policy, international studies, and sociology guides her work, which is currently focused on developing middle school social-emotional learning (SEL) curricula. She conducts literature reviews and analyzes data related to the issues and nuances of equitable access to information. Whether her research is for curricula or substantive policy change, she says she makes sure that issues and content are viewed through the lens of equity and consideration of historically marginalized populations.

Eva has a bachelor’s degree in political science and global studies from the University of Minnesota. When asked which characteristic she identifies as her SEL superpower, she’s quick to say empathy, adding that she always tries to approach issues and situations by considering as many perspectives as possible.

Danara King

Research Assistant

A lifelong love of research and social sciences led Danara King to Western Washington University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology.

Throughout her studies, Danara was drawn to topics exploring race, ethnicity, and social inequality, which sparked an interest in ethnographic and qualitative research. She deepened her research and analysis skills through quantitative and qualitative projects and sought a position that would satisfy both her desire to learn and her drive to make a difference.

“With Committee for Children, I’m doing meaningful research that can have a profound effect on children’s social-emotional well-being, our society, and our future,” Danara says.

Danara helps assess and guide Committee for Children’s Second Step® Elementary social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum by observing lessons; conducting surveys, literature reviews, and focus groups; and reporting complex data and feedback. She believes her SEL superpower is perspective-taking, which allows her to quickly understand others’ viewpoints and backgrounds and to perceive themes and trends.

Sonny Lim

Research Assistant

Sonny Lim is a research assistant for the Education, Research & Impact department. Before joining Committee for Children, Sonny earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Washington. He spent two years during his program as a research assistant exploring topics related to social psychology, such as identity, intersectionality, and discrimination, which he notes are especially relevant to social-emotional learning (SEL).

Sonny believes his greatest strength lies in his passion for research. “I genuinely enjoy every step of the process,” he says. Since joining Committee for Children in November 2021, Sonny has contributed to the development of our Second Step® Middle School program. He assists with data collection and analysis, and conducts literature reviews.

Sonny’s dedication to his work goes beyond day-to-day tasks: “Once I learned about the organization, I realized that contributing to the ongoing research at Committee for Children would give me the opportunity to make a true impact on people’s lives. Having the ability to make a positive change through research is something that I have always aimed to achieve in my career, so this role is very meaningful to me,” he says.

Sonny’s SEL superpower is appreciating diversity, which he credits to his Chinese and Cambodian heritage and to his experiences with different cultures while growing up in rural Georgia and living in Washington State.

Pooja Rajanbabu

Research Associate

After graduating from the University of Washington (UW) with a bachelor’s degree in public health-global health, Poojashree “Pooja” Rajanbabu says she knew she wanted to work for an organization driving meaningful change in the world.

“I joined Committee for Children because of the innovative research it’s doing to support and improve the social-emotional development and well-being of children across the nation and around the world,” says Pooja. “I am passionate about improving the overall health and well-being of children and am excited about future possibilities.”

In her previous positions interning at the UW Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health and the UW Global Center for Integrated Health of Women, Adolescents, and Children, she gained significant experience working with qualitative and quantitative data, conducting literature reviews, and collaborating with key stakeholders. She also contributed as a scientific writer and became highly skilled at developing procedures and improving processes.

In her current role as research associate for Committee for Children’s Education, Research & Impact team, she collects, analyzes, and reports data from her team’s research activities to inform the development of research-based solutions that improve outcomes for students and staff.

Pooja says her SEL superpower is empathy. “I believe it’s critical to understand multiple people’s perspectives and thoughts, especially when working to create products for a diverse global population,” she says. “Empathy is essential for building trust and respect.”

Carrie Thomas, MBA

Product Engagement Manager

Carrie Thomas finds her motivation in getting to come to work every day and do something meaningful. As Product Engagement Manager at Committee for Children, she makes sure that client feedback and perspectives are reflected in our products serving them, and she collaborates with multiple CFC teams to make this happen.

In her previous role assessing community needs for state government, Carrie analyzed data to help schools and community organizations identify services needed to address youth violence and substance abuse prevention. She repeatedly saw the use of Second Step, CFC’s social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, included in the methods.

“When the position at CFC became available, I knew it was something I believed in because I saw the direct impact it could make firsthand,” she says.

Carrie has a dual bachelor’s degree in mass communications and public relations from Seattle University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Having worked on a variety of teams at CFC since 2007, she has found relationship-building to be her SEL superpower—and a huge part of this collaborative role.

Ailsa Kiemle

Product Engagement Specialist

A bachelor’s degree in parks, tourism, and recreation management from the University of Montana may not seem like a natural educational fit for a project coordinator at Committee for Children, but Ailsa Kiemle’s background gives her a unique perspective on the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL).

Ailsa’s SEL superpower is compassion, and before coming to CFC in April 2019, she worked in therapeutic recreation, interacting with youth in out-of-school time organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA. In her current role, she helps coordinate research studies and spends much of her time communicating with teachers, principals, counselors, and district professionals to get their feedback on how we can improve our products.

“I have seen, from working in addiction and therapeutic settings, the harm that can be done by not being taught how to control and identify emotions,” she says. “I believe SEL is a powerful tool.”

Cassie Hudson-Heck

Product Engagement Coordinator

Cassie joined Committee for Children in 2021 after earning a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Kenyon College and working in Seattle Public Schools.

Cassie’s experience in education, first as a City Year AmeriCorps volunteer and then as a special education instructional assistant, taught her the impact and importance of social-emotional learning (SEL). It was also her first opportunity to benefit students by teaching social-emotional skills and incorporating them into daily interactions. Cassie was motivated to join Committee for Children because she “wanted to work for an organization that not only promoted SEL, but also aligned with my values of positive impact and equity,” she says.

Cassie feels her greatest SEL power is empathy. “You never know the reasons behind someone’s actions, so rather than rush to judgment, I try to lean into empathy,” she says. Her deep compassion and strong multi-tasking and organizational skills are essential in her work as a liaison between Committee for Children’s internal teams and external partners. Cassie acts as an advocate for our partner schools, communicating each school’s needs to our organization. Her role also coordinates and streamlines the operations of our research teams to ensure that our Second Step® SEL programs continue to benefit children everywhere.