About
Whitney Benns is a Lecturer on Education at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, where she teaches courses on negotiation and conflict management. She holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Utah. Benns combines academic work with consulting, advising organizations on communication and relationship-building in negotiations, feedback systems, and conflict resolution. Her work emphasizes social justice, particularly in education and legal contexts, and she serves on the board of the Justice Catalyst Fellowship.
Education:
- B.S., Political Science and International Relations, University of Utah
- J.D., Harvard Law School (2015)
Research Interests: Benns focuses on generative conflict, honest communication, and fugitive strategy in building accountable communities. She explores how negotiation and feedback mechanisms can advance liberatory futures, particularly in marginalized communities. Her work intersects legal advocacy (e.g., supporting ArchCity Defenders against criminalization of poverty) and educational equity.
Grants & Advising: Benns has advised institutions like MIT Sloan, Harvard Kennedy School, and Tuck School of Business. She previously taught as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center.
Labs & Teams: Collaborates with ArchCity Defenders, a legal advocacy group combating systemic injustice in St. Louis.
