Shira Hoffer

Founder and Executive Director

Shira Hoffer is the Founder and Executive Director of the Institute. A junior at Harvard College studying Social Studies and Religion, she served on Harvard Dean Rakesh Khurana’s Intellectual Vitality Committee for two years, advising and presenting on new strategies for promoting curious and constructive disagreement inside and out of Harvard’s classrooms. She is a former fellow and research assistant at the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Ethics’ Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Program, and a practicing mediator in Massachusetts courts. She has extensive experience in interfaith and Israel/Palestine dialogue, and is particularly passionate about helping schools with issues related to religion and substantial political disagreement.