Dr. Mootz is the Senior Policy and Research Manager at Children and Screens Institute for Digital Media and Child Development. He received his B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. He worked as a Research Assistant at Oregon Health & Science University, where he completed his Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience studying genetic and molecular mechanisms of addiction. During graduate school, John served as an organizer for Graduate Researchers United, helping establish the university’s first researcher union. He coordinates policy and research programs for Children and Screens, including the Digital Media and Developing Minds Congress: Tools and Methodologies Exposition, and the public health practicum. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and baking, volunteering with conservation organizations, and exploring the Northwest with his dog. John currently lives in Portland, Oregon.