Prof. Jill Stamm '68 is Finalist for Phoenix 'Woman of the Year'

October 20, 2007

October 20, 2007, Greencastle, Ind. - Jill Kneen Stamm, associate clinical professor of psychology in education at Arizona State University and 1968 graduate of DePauw University, is one of ten finalists for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce "Woman of the Year" award. Stamm was selected in recognition of her teaching, business and philanthropic activities. The winner of the Athena Award, as it is formally known, will be announced at a luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel on Thursday, October 25.

Nationally recognized for her work in the field of infant brain development, Stamm is the mother of two daughters -- Kristin, a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA, and an older daughter, Jenny, who is multiply handicapped -- and both have provided the motivation for her research into the science of learning and the brain. Stamm’s first book, Bright From The Start: The Simple, Science-Backed Way to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind, from Birth to Age 3, was published recently, and it has received national acclaim from both neuroscientists and pediatricians across the country.

Because of her ability to clarify the main messages from neuroscience that detail how babies’ brains wire up for learning and ultimately for school readiness, Stamm is a highly sought-after speaker. She established a nonprofit organization, New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development in Phoenix, where she and her specially trained staff address more than 7,000 people per year throughout the country. Business leaders, childcare providers, parents and grandparents attend her seminars in order to understand the key factors that really matter when it comes to wiring the brain for future success.

Stamm also created and patented a product called Brain Boxes™, a set of 12 boxes that provide educational tools for children from birth through 5 years old, for use in childcare settings and pre-schools. A Brain Box™ provides toys, books, games and instructional cards describing how each activity helps to wire the brain in healthy ways. She also offers a new product called a Baby Brain Box™ that highlights easy-to-understand instructions of what to do to maximize a healthy start for learning during the first year of a baby’s life.

Learn more about Jill Stamm and the New Directions Institute by clicking here. Details on her book can be found in this previous story.

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