Jenny Anderson

Award-winning Journalist, Speaker, and Author

Jenny Anderson is an award-winning journalist, author, and speaker with more than 25 years of experience. Her work has appeared in some of the world’s leading publications, including The New York Times, where she was on staff for 10 years, TIME, The Atlantic and Quartz. She’s hosted a podcast, launched a newsletter and is a frequent speaker and moderator at events around the world including the World Economic Forum in Davos, SxSWEdu, ASU/GSV, The Brookings Institution, Teach for All and ONE, among others. Her work examines what it means to be human: how kids learn and evidence-backed ways adults can support them; managing technology for benefit and not harm, and ways to build and sustain important relationships, from being a parent or partner, teacher or boss. She is driven to find ways to thrive in a noisy, unpredictable and complicated world.

2025 Back to School
Back to School VIP

Jenny Anderson

Award-winning Journalist, Speaker, and Author

Jenny Anderson is an award-winning journalist, author, and speaker with more than 25 years of experience. Her work has appeared in some of the world’s leading publications, including The New York Times, where she was on staff for 10 years, TIME, The Atlantic and Quartz. She’s hosted a podcast, launched a newsletter and is a frequent speaker and moderator at events around the world including the World Economic Forum in Davos, SxSWEdu, ASU/GSV, The Brookings Institution, Teach for All and ONE, among others. Her work examines what it means to be human: how kids learn and evidence-backed ways adults can support them; managing technology for benefit and not harm, and ways to build and sustain important relationships, from being a parent or partner, teacher or boss. She is driven to find ways to thrive in a noisy, unpredictable and complicated world.

2025 Back to School
Back to School VIP
2025 Back to School Summit
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
1:30 pm

The Disengaged Teen: Reigniting Curiosity and Connection

What’s behind the teenage disengagement crisis—and how can we fix it? Journalist Jenny Anderson and Brookings’ Rebecca Winthrop explore how re-engaging teens is critical not only for education, but for building skills, expanding social capital, and unlocking economic mobility. Drawing on their new book The Disengaged Teen, they’ll unpack how relevance, agency, and real-world learning can reconnect young people to school, work, and opportunity.