Assistant Research Professor University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Leah Hunter, with a Ph.D. in School Psychology from Penn State, is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a licensed psychologist. She focuses on sustainable interventions promoting school readiness and explores how parents from disadvantaged neighborhoods navigate early education. As senior project coordinator for the Pittsburgh arm of SMART Beginnings, Leah also provides support to families as a certified Family Check-Up coach.

Featured Works

  • Neugebauer, S. R., Sandilos, L., DiPerna, J., Hunter, L., Hart, S. C., & Ellis, E. (2023). 41 teachers, 41 different ways: Exploring teacher implementation of a universal social-emotional learning program under routine conditions. The Elementary School Journal, 124(1). https://doi.org/10.1086/725675 

  • Hunter, L. J., DiPerna, J. C., Hart, S. C., Neugebauer, S., & Lei, P. (2022). Examining teacher approaches to implementation of a classwide SEL program. School Psychology, 37(4), 285–297. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000502 

  • Hunter, L. J., Bayly, B. L., Bierman, K. L., & Gest, J. M. (2022). Predicting school readiness program implementation in community-based childcare centers. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1023505 

  • Hunter, L. J., & Hall, C. M. (2018). A survey of K-12 teachers’ utilization of social networks as a professional resource. Education and Information Technologies, 23(2), 633–658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9627-9