Jen McLaughlin Cahill

Jen McLaughlin Cahill is a Lecturer in Educational Practice at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE). She holds a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she focused on queer-inclusive teaching, culturally relevant pedagogy, and young adult literature curriculum. Her work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing equitable education and ethical school environments.

Education: Doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Formerly, she taught for over 22 years at a NYC Title I school, developing literacy curricula and performance-based assessments. She co-authored Identity-Affirming Literacies in Schools (2025) and presented research at NCTE and AERA conferences.

Research focuses on sociocultural literacy, project-based learning, and queer pedagogies. She advocates for schools as spaces of creativity and growth, leveraging diverse texts (e.g., LGBTQ+ literature) to foster empathy and inclusive classrooms.

Affiliations include GLSEN’s Educator Advisory Committee and Hope in a Box. She is active in professional organizations like NCTE and AERA’s Division K.