Christi Bergin earned a Ph.D. in child development and early childhood education at Stanford University and is a developmental psychologist. Her research focuses on the socio-emotional development of typical children as well as the physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development of infants and children in families struggling with poverty, drug use and child abuse. She has observed hundreds of parent-child interactions, including in-home visits to so-called crack houses." Dr. Bergin has conducted research in both schools and medical centers. She has published in journals such as the Journal of Literacy Research, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, Child Maltreatment, Journal of Adolescence and Infant Mental Health Journal, among others.

Through her research, experience as a preschool teacher and work as a community volunteer, she has extensive experience with children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. She is the co-founder of the Network for Educator Effectiveness, which has 302 member school districts. Through this network she has trained hundreds of principals to accurately measure teaching practices and provide useful feedback to help teachers grow professionally. Dr. Christi Bergin directs the nation's premiere research lab on prosocial education, that is, improving the social interaction and positive behavior of school-age children. She is president-elect of the social-emotional learning group of the American Educational Research Association.".