Overdeck Family Foundation appoints Emily Hanno to research and impact role

New appointment highlights growing focus on data, research, and measurable impact across EdTech and education funding strategies.

The Overdeck Family Foundation has appointed Emily Hanno as Research & Impact Officer, strengthening its focus on evidence-led decision-making across its education funding and research portfolio.

Hanno joins the Foundation following nearly four years at MDRC, where she worked on large-scale education research and development projects. Her appointment comes as the Foundation expands its investment in data, research, and measurable outcomes across early childhood, K–9 education, and future skills development.

Focus on data, evidence, and return on investment

In her new role, Hanno will support efforts to assess the impact and return on investment of the Foundation’s grantmaking and research activity. This includes working with internal teams and external partners to strengthen the use of evidence, cost-effectiveness, and data-driven decision-making in education programs.

The Foundation confirms that the role is designed to reinforce its broader strategy to scale approaches that demonstrate measurable improvements in student outcomes, particularly in literacy, math, and social-emotional development.

Hanno says: “I’m excited to share that I’m starting a new role as Research & Impact Officer at the Overdeck Family Foundation! I’m looking forward to partnering with colleagues and grantees to strengthen the use of data and evidence to drive meaningful change in education.”

She adds: “This next chapter builds on the work I was fortunate to be part of at MDRC for almost four years. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunities I had to collaborate with incredible colleagues on large-scale research and development projects to support young learners and their educators.”

Background in research and early education

Hanno brings 15 years of experience in education, spanning research, teaching, and policy. Prior to MDRC, she worked at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she contributed to early childhood research, including a longitudinal study tracking more than 3,000 children.

She began her career through Teach For America as a pre-K teacher and instructional coach, before moving into research and program evaluation roles.

Senior Research & Impact Officer Meghan McCormick comments on LinkedIn: “Still pinching myself that Emily Hanno -- a superstar researcher, thinker, and leader -- has joined us at Overdeck Family Foundation as our newest Research & Impact Officer. We’re continuing to double down on the role of data and evidence in driving action, and I’m so excited to have Emily on this journey with us.”

Alignment with updated research strategy

The appointment follows the Foundation’s updated 2026 strategy, which places greater emphasis on generating rigorous and timely insights to inform education decision-making.

In 2024, the Foundation reports distributing $63.5 million across 106 grantees, reaching approximately 75 million children and supporting 500,000 educators. Its current priorities focus on school readiness, academic progress, and long-term skills development.

The addition of a dedicated research and impact role signals a continued shift across the EdTech and philanthropy landscape toward evidence-backed interventions, cost-effectiveness analysis, and scalable models that can demonstrate measurable outcomes at system level.