Jena Gu (she/they) is a Research Associate at WolfBrown, where she supports research and evaluation projects for clients including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Carnegie Hall, and the National Dance Institute.
A former early childhood and dual-language educator, Jena brings a background that combines educational practice with mixed-methods research. She earned a master’s degree in Education Policy and Analysis from Harvard University in 2023, where her thesis examined the social, economic, and policy determinants of workforce shortages in early childhood education.
Prior to joining WolfBrown, Jena supported research projects at WestEd, a San Francisco-based research agency, contributing to education research spanning early mathematics and literacy, game-based learning, and educational technology. She is experienced in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including interviews, observations, survey design, data analysis, and program evaluation. Jena is interested in research at the intersection of education and the arts, particularly how creative learning experiences shape social-emotional development and other educational outcomes, including democratic thinking and civic engagement, and how arts programming can be leveraged to strengthen equitable educational opportunities and outcomes.
Outside of her work at WolfBrown, Jena is an independent music artist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to writing music, she enjoys practicing yoga, gardening, learning languages, and spending time with her cats.