Neil Boothby

Neil Boothby, Ed.D. is an internationally recognized expert and advocate for children affected by war, displacement and abject poverty. His research on childhood risk and resilience aims to understand how children navigate and cope with extreme adversity. It goes beyond focusing on negative outcomes like trauma to investigate the protective factors and strengths that allow some children to not only survive but thrive.  A central part of this work is identifying the mechanisms of resilience—such as education systems, family cohesion, and individual coping strategies—and examining how they are affected by external stressors like crises and poverty. These findings are crucial for developing effective interventions and policies. His research goal is to provide actionable insights for organizations, governments, and educators to create more supportive environments for children in crisis.

In 2025, Boothby joined a major new Vatican-backed initiative, "From Crisis to Care: Catholic Action for Children" to position Notre Dame as a lead research and program learning partner of this global effort to transform how the Catholic Church and its partners protect and nurture the world’s most vulnerable children.

Prior to joining Notre Dame, Boothby held senior positions with UNICEF, UNHCR, and Save the Children. 

Listen to Neil's Series on ThinkND, Raising Resilient Children

Listen to Neil's Episode of Think. Pair. Share.