Helen Pate-Bain, Ed.D., Chairperson for HEROS, Inc., is an active principal investigator on several projects. A retired professor of Educational Administration, she is a Past President of the National Education Association (NEA), was a classroom teacher for more than 25 years, and founded the internationally recognized Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project.

Jayne Boyd-Zaharias, Ed.D., Director of HEROS, Inc., held a number of research positions at Tennessee State University (TSU) where she was actively involved in psychological, sociological, and educational research. She has 20 years of research experience and has published numerous papers.

Michelle Carrillo, RN, BSN, BSHA, Assistant Director of HEROS. Michelle has more than 18 years of experience in research, healthcare, and health administration. She has expertise in the field of healthcare and geriatrics. She has served as a consultant to home-health, long-term care, and retirement centers.

Sommer Landers, BS. Landers’ area of emphasis is Geographic Information Sciences (GIS). She is a research assistant for HEROS, Inc. where she is primarily involved with the creation and maintenance of maps, charts, and databases.

C. M. Achilles, Ed.D., professor of Education Leadership and Co-Director of Doctoral Programs, Dept. of Leadership and Counseling, School of Education, Eastern Michigan University is author, co-author or editor of more than 60 books, chapters, monographs or major research reports. He served as a Principal Investigator on Project STAR and is a consultant with HEROS on class-size studies.

Alan Krueger, Ph.D., Bendheim Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, and Director of the Princeton University Survey Research Center, has conducted independent analyses using the STAR database. As consultant to HEROS, Inc., he served as the primary statistician for the research study "The Long-term Academic & Social Benefits of Small Primary Grade Classes."

Jeremy Finn, Ph.D., Professor of Education at State University of New York at Buffalo, has conducted extensive research on students at risk and engagement in school, and served as an external evaluator for Project STAR since its inception. He has held positions at the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, the National Center for Education Statistics, and Temple University. He is a consultant with HEROS on class-size studies.

Karen Edwards, Ph.D., Worked 15 years with the State of Tennessee on children's issues serving as Executive Director of the Children's Services Commission and Executive Director of The Select Committee on Children and Youth. She provides technical assistance to HEROS' projects related to children and families.