Director, Design Research

Melissa Callaghan joined the Springboard Collaborative team, as Director of Design Research, in April 2021. Using her background in Early Childhood Development, Education, research, and technology design, she has spent years striving to find new and innovative ways for supporting PreK-12th grade learners. After earning her Education doctorate degree at UC Irvine examining the design and effectiveness of educational preschool apps, Melissa was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. There, she worked for the Reach Every Reader initiative to create scalable, digital tools and teaching models for PreK-3rd grade children, as well as their families and educators. Melissa’s drive to impact the educational experiences of young children is powered by her own passion for learning. As a young girl, she loved school and looks to find the best ways to encourage that same curiosity and excitement for learning among children. One of her favorite books growing up was Horton Hears a Who.

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