Heather Leffew, PhD

Heather Leffew, PhDHeather Leffew, PhDHeather Leffew, PhD

Heather Leffew, PhD

Heather Leffew, PhDHeather Leffew, PhDHeather Leffew, PhD
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Expert solutions, backed by AI research and behavioral science, for real-world challenges.

Modeling Human Complexity with Applied AI

Modeling Human Complexity with Applied AIModeling Human Complexity with Applied AIModeling Human Complexity with Applied AI

Expert solutions, backed by AI research and behavioral science, for real-world challenges.

Modeling Human Complexity with Applied AI

Modeling Human Complexity with Applied AIModeling Human Complexity with Applied AIModeling Human Complexity with Applied AI

About Me

I’m an applied AI scientist and behavioral systems modeler with a PhD in psychology and deep expertise in machine learning, causal inference, and computational linguistics. I specialize in building real-world predictive systems — the kind that work under ambiguity, involve human decisions, and demand interpretability.


My work spans full-stack ML development, experimental design, NLP, and human-in-the-loop evaluation. Whether I’m deploying multimodal models or simulating policy interventions, my focus is always the same: make complex systems understandable, adaptive, and aligned with real-world behavior.


I thrive at the intersection of disciplines — where human behavior meets data, where models meet decision-making, and where theory meets practice. I design tools and frameworks that not only perform well, but improve over time and across contexts.

I’m particularly passionate about fairness-aware modeling, safety in AI systems, and designing interpretable pipelines for high-stakes domains. 

Core Expertise

  • Natural Language Processing (SLMs, LLMs, Transformers)  
  • Applied Machine Learning & ML Engineering  
  • Causal Inference & Experimental Design  
  • Human-in-the-Loop Systems & Evaluation  
  • Full-Stack ML Deployment (data → modeling → APIs)  
  • Prompt Engineering, Fine-Tuning, & Model Alignment  
  • Computational Social Science & Psychometrics  
  • Decision Science & System Optimization

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