Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute

Dr. Jennifer Lillis is a research scientist at the Wheelock Education Policy Center at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. In this role, she investigates the roles and working conditions of special educators, aiming to improve support systems and instructional quality. She also conducts research focused on enhancing college and career readiness, and improving transition outcomes, for students with disabilities.

Dr. Lillis’s experience includes teaching special education in New York City and Costa Rica, as well as leading educational initiatives in Boston. Before joining BU, Dr. Lillis served as the director of college access at a Boston-based youth development organization and as the career pathways coordinator at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Boston Public Schools. At the Burke, she pioneered an innovation pathway in biotechnology that earned state designation and expanded early college and internship opportunities for students. Dr. Lillis is dedicated to enhancing students’ special education experiences and reducing inequities in access to post-secondary education and employment.