Cathy Jordan

Background & Expertise

Cathy Jordan, PhD, is professor of pediatrics at the Medical School at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and principal scientist at its Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain. Jordan serves as director of research for a U.S. national nonprofit – the Children & Nature Network – which aims to lead a global movement to increase equitable access to nature everywhere children live, learn and play. 

In the latter role, which she has held for over 12 years, she leads a team that locates, curates and summarizes the scientific research about children and families in nature, and translates the evidence for general, practitioner and policymaker audiences. She co-founded the Teacher Field School, an intensive, experiential, nature-immersed professional development program to train Minnesota elementary teachers to confidently employ nature-based learning approaches across the curriculum. In a previous role she held for 5 years, Cathy directed the Leadership Development and Sustainability Education unit of the Institute on the Environment. 

Jordan is a pediatric neuropsychologist by training, earning her PhD from Wayne State University in 1991. Jordan believes that the establishment of a strong connection to nature is not only critical to people’s wellbeing, but to their development of concern for our planet, and it is important to establish that connection in childhood.