Sara Wolforth

Sara Wolforth is a managing director in the Youth, Family, and Community Development program at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), where she leads the Child and Youth Development Portfolio. Her work focuses on the implementation and study of policies, programs, and initiatives that support whole-child and youth development in schools, families, and communities. She previously served as deputy director of the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, co-director of the State Support Network, and director of the Midwest Comprehensive Center. Wolforth has contributed to policy and practice-focused publications, including a book chapter on funding strategies for making schools safer and more equitable and a policy brief series on expanded learning and whole-child support. She has facilitated state-level task forces on competency-based education, educator effectiveness, literacy, regional support systems, civic education, and accountability. She earned her MSEd from Northwestern University and her JD from Washington University. She also taught upper elementary and high school in Chicago.

updated 2025