About Me

Throughout my career, I have focused on strengthening policies and programs to improve young children’s development and well-being. Currently, I am the Playful Learning and Innovation Impact Fellow (best title ever!) at the Federation of American Scientists. From 2023-2025, I was embedded at USAID where I worked with staff and partners to expand play-based early childhood education programs. Previously, as a senior fellow at Results for Development, I conducted applied research on early learning and parenting programs. Earlier in my career, in roles at the World Bank, UNESCO, and OECD, I led analytical work and provided technical guidance to government officials, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, to improve early childhood policies and programs. As a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, I taught and advised graduate students in international educational development for more than a decade. I live outside of Washington, DC with my husband, two daughters, and our Australian Labradoodle.