Laura Tierney

Laura Tierney

Founder and CEO

Combining her standout sports leadership experience with her career managing social media for world-class brands, Laura is driven to help teens navigate social media positively and thoughtfully. A digital native herself, she bridges the gap between adults and students as one of the nation’s leading pioneers in positive social media education.

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Maria Jankovics

Maria Jankovics

Cofounder and CDO

Maria leads The Social Institute’s technology vision for positive, gamified social media education in schools nationwide. A web developer specializing in front-end and with basic knowledge of backend, Maria is responsible for leading website development, digitizing our curriculum, and helping The Social Institute continue to be the gold standard in social media education.

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Shayna Heinrich

Shayna Heinrich

Senior Director of Operations

As Senior Director of Operations at The Social Institute, Shayna oversees the company’s operational needs including Human Resources, recruiting, sales operations, and the internship program.

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Andrea Jenkins

Andrea Jenkins

Director of Partner Success

“I joined TSI to help schools address challenges that I experienced as technology became a larger conversation in the educational landscape. I knew there was a better way than lecturing and scaring students and that equipping students was the best approach. TSI’s students-first mission spoke to me and I love sharing this approach with our partners.”

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Chris Valada

Chris Valada

Head of New Partnerships

“I joined The Social Institute to make a difference. Social media and technology greatly affect student well-being and we can no longer separate social media from one’s social life. TSI’s approach to social media and technology education is comprehensive, positive, and proactive. I believe it is the best way to empower students to make good choices online and offline.”

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Carly Griffin

Carly Griffin

Director of Marketing

“I joined The Social Institute because I have seen firsthand how social media impacts students and am passionate about The Social Institute’s positive and empowering approach to student social media and technology use.”

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