Helen Shwe Hadani

Dr. Hadani is a Fellow of the Center for Universal Education (CUE) and the Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking at Brookings. An expert in early childhood and creativity development, Dr. Hadani conducts research on the benefits of playful learning in both formal and informal contexts. Prior to joining the Brookings Institution, Dr. Hadani spent 20 years in research and education settings applying her knowledge of early childhood development and innovative pedagogies to developing creative learning experiences for children and families. She served as the director of research at the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) where she guided program and exhibit development with a focus on experiential and active learning. As part of and prior to that role, Helen consulted for toy, technology, and media companies, including The Walt Disney Company, Sesame Workshop, Apple, LEGO, Hasbro, Fisher-Price, and Mattel. Helen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester and a Doctorate in Psychology from Stanford University. She currently serves on advisory boards for Sesame Workshop and Goddard Schools.