Sarah Pila-Leiderman

Sarah is a rising academic star and passionate community builder who seamlessly bridges her professional expertise in early childhood development with her dedication to Jewish life. 

As an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Sarah is redefining how we understand the role of media in child development. Her research focuses on the benefits of prosocial and educational media for young children, particularly in early education settings. She is a published scholar in several top journals and serves as a mentor through the International Communication Association.

A lifelong USYer, sought-after Shabbat dinner host, and community volunteer, Sarah models what it means to be a Jew who leads with kindness, intellect, and heart. She volunteers with CJE SeniorLife and Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago, personally delivering meals to older adults and those in need during the holidays. She has called Chicago home for a decade, and even as a busy professor, new mom, and researcher, she models how to live a life of meaning and mitzvot .

 

AGE:
34

PRONOUNS:
She/her/hers

PRIMARY GIG:
Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

ON THE SIDE:
Mom, wife, amateur cook, and Shabbat dinner host

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 10 WORDS OR LESS:
Developmental scientist, pebble ice aficionado, and lover of 90s boy bands.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS:
The life I'm leading—healthy with a kind and ambitious partner, a hilarious kiddo, and scores of family, friends, and colleagues who I enjoy spending time with. What I would give to show my Holocaust-surviving grandparents what they did got us all to this point.

A JEW WHO INSPIRES YOU:
My mother-in-law inspires me as a Jew. A large part of her Jewish journey happened alongside her children and that has always been really cool to me. She learned from them, and they learned from her, as well.

YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE:
Practice makes permanent. It will almost never be perfect, but trying at least starts the process!