Mollie McQuillan
Assistant Professor
(608) 263-2737
270C Education Building
Mollie McQuillan is an Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Dr. McQuillan examines the intersection of educational policy, social relationships, and health of gender-expansive students and educators.
Education
- PhD Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 2019
- MA Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 2014
- MAT Teaching, University of Saint Thomas, 2005
- AB Political Science, University of Chicago, 2000
Select Publications
- McQuillan, M. T., Anderson, J., & Gandy-Fastovich, L. (2025). “Sometimes It’s Hard to Do the Right Thing”: The Gender-Inclusivity Leadership Spectrum of How PK–12 Administrators Understand Gender Diversity Laws, Policies, and Implementation. American Educational Research Journal, 62(1), 14-52. American Educational Research Journal Online Publication/Abstract.
- Cimpian, J., & McQuillan, M. T. (2025). An Overlooked Explanation for Increasing Suicidality: LGBQ Stressors Felt by More Students. Educational Researcher, 54(1), 56-60. American Educational Research Association.
- McQuillan, M. T., Cimpian, J. R., Lebovitz, B. A., & Gill, E. K. (2024). Transgender Adolescent School Climate, Mental Health, and Adult Social Support. JAMA-Pediatrics, 178(10), 1082. JAMA Pediatrics Online Publication/Abstract.
- McQuillan, M. T., Lebovitz, B. A., & Harbin, L. (2024). The Disruptive Power of Policy Erasure: How State Legislators and School Boards Fail to Take up Trans-affirming Policies While Leaning into Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies. , 38(3), 642-699. Educational Policy.
- McQuillan, M. T., Iskander, L., Suárez, M. I., & Keenan, H. B. (2024). “Establishing Policy Is Just Step One of Twenty”: How Educational Policy Protections, District Practices, and Leadership Matter to Trans PK–12 School Workers. , 126(4-5), 147-186. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education.
Select Awards and Honors
- W.T. Grant Scholar, William T. Grant Foundation, (2025–2030)
- Early Career Award, American Educational Research Association (AERA), 2025
- Emerging Scholar Award - Administration, Organization, and Leadership, American Educational Research Association (AERA), 2023
- Outstanding Educational Policy Report Award, American Educational Research Association (AERA), 2023
- Trans Studies in Education: Building a Field of Research Pilot Learning Community, Spencer Foundation, (2019–2022)
- Madison Education Partnership Research Award, UW Madison Education Partnership, (2019–2021)
- Administration, Organization, and Leadership Outstanding Dissertation Award Honorable Mention, AERA Division A, 2020
- Presidential Fellow, Northwestern University, (2017, 2019)
- Dissertation Fellowship, National Academy of Education, (2017–2018)