Nurturing Environments Institute’s journey commenced in graduate school, where Dr. State specialized as a special educator and Dr. Zaheer as a school psychologist. While collaborating on shared projects, they connected over a shared vision and commitment to transforming education. Although their career paths diverged, they stayed in touch and continued both their collaborative work and friendship. As they actively engaged in school environments, a gap became clear and captured their conversations — the disparity between the abundance of evidence-based practices and their inadequate implementation in schools. Time and again, they observed the unutilized potential for positive change in schools.

Driven by a shared commitment to bridge the divide between research and practice and determined to make a difference, they envisioned Nurturing Environments Institute (NEI). Their mission is clear: to serve as an example of collaboration, bringing schools and communities together in a unified effort to implement and sustain evidence-based practices.

NEI emerged as a hub, a nurturing ground for partnerships that would transform educational landscapes. Drs. State and Zaheer aim to empower schools and communities, providing the necessary support to cultivate internal expertise. Their goal is ambitious yet simple: to narrow the research to practice gap, addressing one educator, one student, one school, and one family at a time. This motto became the guiding principle for their endeavor, a reminder that transformation is gradual, yet its impact is profound.

NEI materialized as the realization of their shared dream — a testament to the belief that collaboration and dedication can pave the way for a brighter future in education.