Jennifer C. Mann

Jennifer C. Mann is a Research Scientist at Duke University's Center for Child and Family Policy and an Adjunct Instructor in the Program in Education. Her work focuses on multilingual learners and equity-centered instructional practices through the BELLA projects, while supporting Duke TeachHouse—a living/learning community for early-career teachers—through program development and funding acquisition.

She earned her Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Learning Sciences from North Carolina State University in 2023, specializing in Literacy and English Language Arts. This builds on her 19 years of K-12 teaching experience across high school English, elementary/adult ESL, and pre-service teacher education.

Dr. Mann's research centers on multilingual learners, teacher professional learning, and participatory qualitative methodologies. She emphasizes asset-based frameworks for refugee/immigrant students, exploring critical literacy and community partnerships to empower youth and transform instructional practices through culturally responsive approaches.

Her 2021-2024 publications reveal consistent focus on amplifying marginalized voices—particularly refugee-background students—through narrative inquiry and community-based research. Key trends include critical literacy interventions, teacher collaboration models, and equity-centered professional development grounded in qualitative methods.

Dr. Mann actively mentors Master of Arts in Teaching candidates through course instruction and independent studies while securing funding for BELLA and Duke TeachHouse initiatives. Her work strengthens pathways for equity-minded teacher leadership across North Carolina through strategic capacity building.

She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at the Center for Child and Family Policy and Duke TeachHouse, bridging university resources with community needs to advance educational equity for multilingual learners and early-career educators through sustainable program models.