Allison Mishkin: Reflections on 15 Years of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center

I started working at the Cooney Center out of college and grew to be the Research and Program Manager for the National STEM Video Game Challenge—a role that took me from Pittsburgh to the White House. As the Challenge grew, so did I. I was determined to understand how to guarantee positive outcomes from kids’ technology use. After lengthy conversations with my mentors at the Cooney Center, I pursued a dual PhD/MBA between Oxford and Yale focused on technology and child development, with a special emphasis on motivating young women in STEM. I currently lead Google’s Kids and Families product policy team. 

I’m fortunate that the Cooney Center helped me build a life centering young people’s needs, and gave me frameworks I’ve applied throughout my career.

Magic happens when research informs program design, which informs future research. While the concept is embedded in modern product development processes, the Center is unique in bringing Joan Ganz Cooney’s approach to technology development. During my time with the STEM Challenge, I led both the research and the program … which made each of them better. Connecting research and action fueled my PhD research, where I would develop and then evaluate programs for motivating young people, and fuels the current approach I take to policy development.

Magic also happens when you understand the systems that kids sit in. We achieved the biggest successes with the STEM Challenge when we worked directly with schools, cultural institutions, families, and NGOs. The STEM Challenge helped me develop a systems-thinking approach to my work, which I’ve taken to subsequent roles.

Finally, magic happens when you work with great folks. The team I worked with at the Cooney Center included some of the most thoughtful, fun, and mission-driven people with whom I’ve worked, and the JGCC community was a key reason why we achieved great outcomes. I’m grateful to the Cooney Center and to its vibrant community for setting me on my path.

 

 

Allison Mishkin has spent her career ensuring young people have fun and delightful digital experiences. She currently leads Google’s Kids and Families Product Policy team. Prior to Google, Allison applied her expertise in technology & child development at organizations including Lego, Nickelodeon, the ESA, and UNICEF. She earned her PhD from the University of Oxford, her MBA from the Yale School of Management, and her BA from the University of Pennsylvania.