Molly Branson Thayer is the director of literacy at the Urban Education Institute and senior advisor and co-founder of UChicago Impact. Branson Thayer is an expert in literacy and early literacy, teacher training, and theories of teaching and learning. She also currently serves as interim director for UChicago Impact's 6to16 college-readiness tool.
Prior to joining UEI, Branson Thayer taught kindergarten in the San Francisco Unified School district for seven years. While in San Francisco, she participated in an initiative to develop effective literacy assessments and led professional development to support the use of these assessments in classrooms around California.
Branson Thayer holds an M.A. in elementary education from San Francisco State University and an Ed.D. in reading and language from National-Louis University.
