BIOGRAPHY

Ari Broad, M.S. (she/her) is an equity-driven educator, researcher, and systems designer dedicated to building educational systems where learners of all abilities can thrive. With over a decade of experience mentoring students across high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels, Ari specializes in creating transformative STEM learning environments that center access, neuroinclusion, and systemic equity.

Ari currently serves as Director of High School Outreach Programs in the Cornell Engineering Office of Inclusive Excellence. In this role, she oversees program admissions, curriculum design, staff development, and full-scale logistics. Ari designed the operational systems that serve as the backbone of HSOP—ranging from individualized itinerary builders to interactive lab notebooks—and has directly supported the academic and personal growth of hundreds of young scholars each year.

Ari is also the founder of Broad Spectrum Education, a nonprofit focused on designing neuroinclusive educational tools and training. As a neurodivergent leader with diagnoses of Autism and ADHD, Ari brings lived experience to her work and advocates for systems that embrace cognitive diversity rather than pathologize it. Her vision is rooted in building infrastructure—not just inspiration—for sustained belonging.

A longtime mentor and research advisor for Lumiere Education, Ari has supported over 30 high school students in completing original STEM research, leading to more than a dozen student-authored publications. She also designed and taught Lumiere’s flagship introductory biochemistry course and has served as a keynote speaker for their academic seminar series. Her mentorship style blends scientific rigor with compassionate, identity-affirming advising.

Beyond education, Ari is active in public policy, advocacy, and legal reform. She has lobbied on Capitol Hill for increased federal support for programs like Upward Bound, NSF REUs, and NIH diversity initiatives. Her firsthand experience navigating legal systems—including representing her first entrepreneurial venture in the NYS Supreme Court—has sparked her broader engagement in education law and policy as tools for structural change.

Ari earned her B.S. in Biological and Chemical Sciences from Florida State University and her M.S. in Biochemistry from Cornell University. Whether mentoring emerging researchers, designing inclusive curricula, or building policy bridges, she leads with transparency, empathy, and a commitment to justice.