Aneesha supports state and district leaders, assessment developers, and policymakers in building coherent systems of teaching, learning, and assessment.
Aneesha brings decades of experience in assessment design and policy, STEM education and product development to her work helping organizations, leaders, and developers create and implement instructionally-relevant assessment systems. At Education First, Aneesha leads projects focused on innovative assessment and accountability system design and implementation, equitable assessment design, strategic planning, and artificial intelligence. She works alongside districts, state education agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and product developers, including Chicago Public Schools, the Hawaii and Montana Departments of Education, the Gates Foundation, Educational Testing Service, and Digital Promise. She currently serves as a strategic advisor for several assessment ventures, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Assessment for Good, the NSF-funded GENIUS Center for AI in STEM education, and several state and district assessment and accountability systems.
Aneesha is passionate about the brilliance of young people, and is committed to building systems that recognize and cultivate opportunities for success for every learner. Prior to Education First, she served as the Director of Assessment at the Learning Policy Institute, where her team led the design and implementation of statewide innovative learning-oriented assessment strategies for over 15 states. During her time at LPI, Aneesha led the development of the 2028 NAEP Science Framework, led a national panel of experts in designing criteria for high-quality instructionally-relevant state assessment systems, advised on federal legislation and regulations to support learning-first assessment system innovations, and supported states and vendors in codesigning new assessment solutions directly with teachers and students. Aneesha has also served in leadership roles for science and STEM education throughout the country.
A behavioral neuroscientist by training, Aneesha holds degrees in biology and neuroscience from Cornell University and the University of Michigan. She lives in the DMV with her husband and toddler, and can usually be found anywhere good food can be found–restaurants, food trucks, or in the kitchen with her impressive cookbook collection.
