SRCD Policy Fellowship Experience
Federal Policy Fellow Spotlights and State Policy Fellow Portfolio Abstracts
Federal and State fellows are asked to write one-page reflections on their fellowship experiences. In addition, at the end of the fellowship year fellows are asked to develop a Professional Portfolio with brief abstracts of each entry to showcase a selected number of contributions the fellow made at the placement during the fellowship year. Prior to the 2020-2021 fellowship year, Federal fellows wrote one-page reflections while State fellows developed Professional Portfolios.
2023
Federal Policy Fellows
- Marissa Abbott, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Planning and Evaluation - Carly Champagne, Ph.D.
Office of Child Care (OCC) in the Administration for Children and Families - Diane Gumina, Ph.D.
Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch (PPB) at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - Shirley Huang, Ph.D.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the National Institutes of Health - Kelsey McKee, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start (OHS) in the Administration for Children and Families - Kylee Probert, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families - Kizzann Ashana "Shana" Ratcliff, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start in the Administration for Children and Families - Virginia Salo, Ph.D.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the National Institutes of Health - Neda Senehi, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families - Tanya Tavassolie, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start (OHS) in the Administration for Children and Families - Tamarie Willis, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families - Kylie Garber, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Tim Kaine
State Policy Post-doctoral Fellows
- Alex Busuito, Ph.D.
Center for Perinatal and Early Childhood Health, Rhode Island Department of Health - Lara Markovitz, Ph.D.
Office of Child Support (OCS) in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - Lillie Moffett, Ph.D.
California Department of Education, Opportunities for All Branch - Faith VanMeter, Ph.D.
Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), Child Safety and Permanence Division, Promotion and Prevention Unit
2022
Federal Policy Fellows
- Marissa Abbott, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Planning and Evaluation - Lorena Aceves, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families - Jackie Gross, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Frances Martínez Pedraza, Ph.D.
Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families - Kelsey McKee, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start - Parisa Parsafar, Ph.D.
Child Development and Behavior Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Virginia Salo, Ph.D.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Neda Senehi, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Tanya Tavassolie, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Maggie Hassan - Dianna Tran, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families
State Policy Pre-doctoral Fellows
- Clarissa Corkins, M.S.
Oklahoma State Department of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction - Eleanor Fisk
Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
State Policy Post-doctoral Fellows
- Alex Busuito, Ph.D.
Center for Perinatal and Early Childhood Health, Rhode Island Department of Health - Cassandra Simons Gerson, Ph.D.
Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood - Lillie Moffett, Ph.D.
California Department of Education, Opportunities for All Branch
2021
Federal Policy Fellows
- Lorena Aceves, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families - Krystal Bichay-Awadalla, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Christian Clesi, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Bob Casey - Jackie Gross, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Ellen Litkowski, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Parisa Parsafar, Ph.D.
Child Development and Behavior Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Frances Martínez Pedraza, Ph.D.
Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families - Alayna Schreier, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Dianna Tran, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families
State Policy Post-doctoral Fellows
- Jenn Finders, Ph.D.
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning
State Policy Pre-doctoral Fellows
- Andrew (Drew) McGee
Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Early Childhood - Wendy Wei, Ed.M.
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
2020
Federal Policy Fellows
- Krystal Bichay-Awadalla, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Ellen Litkowski, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Parisa Parsafar, Ph.D.
Office of the Senator Christopher Coons - Emily Ross, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Alayna Schreier, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
State Policy Post-doctoral Fellows
- Christina Padilla, Ph.D., M.P.P.
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Division of Learning - Sarah Prendergast, Ph.D.
Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Early Childhood
State Policy Pre-doctoral Fellows
- Kylie Bezdek
North Carolina North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education - Claudia Kruzik
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care - Ann Partee, Ed.M.
Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Office of Early Childhood - Callie Silver, M.A.
Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD)
2019
Federal Policy Fellows
- Emily Ross, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Paula Daneri, Ph.D.
House Committee on Education and Labor - Amanda K. Gatewood, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Marisa Morin, Ph.D.
Senate Finance Committee, Office of Ranking Member Ron Wyden - Rachel McKinnon, Ph.D.
Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families - Francesca Longo, Ph.D.
Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families - Anne Day Leong, Ph.D., M.S.W.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Kelly Jedd McKenzie, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Sarah Blankenship, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Erin Cannon, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families
State Policy Post-doctoral Fellows
- Rachel Katz, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Early Intervention - Alicia Miao, Ph.D.
Early Learning Division, Oregon Department of Education
State Policy Pre-doctoral Fellows
- Nneka Ibekwe, M.S.W., Ed.M.
Office of Early Learning, Delaware Department of Education - Caroline Martin
Vermont Agency of Education - Meghan McDoniel, Ed.M.
Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning - Elizabeth Tremaine, M.S.
Early Learning Division, Oregon Department of Education
2018
Federal Policy Fellows
- Rachel D. McKinnon, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Bob Casey - Alaina Flannigan, Ph.D.
Joint Economic Committee, Office of Ranking Member Senator Martin Heinrich - Erin Cannon, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Anne Day Leong, Ph.D., M.S.W.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Sarah Blankenship, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Kelly Jedd McKenzie, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Francesca Longo, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand - Yunsoo Park, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice - Jenessa Malin, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Jameela Conway-Turner, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice
State Policy Post-doctoralFellows
- Aimée Drouin Duncan, Ph.D.
Office of The State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Division of Early Learning (DEL), District of Columbia - Kate Giapponi Schneider, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)
State Policy Pre-doctoral Fellows
- Robert Carr, M.A.
North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) - Julie Casper, M.S.Ed.
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) - Melanie Fish
Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL)/Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) - Mayra Parada
Office of Early Childhood and Humanities, Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)
2017
Federal Policy Fellows
- Yunsoo Park, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice - Jenessa Malin, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Angelique Day, Ph.D., M.S.W.
Office of Congressman Danny Davis - Emily M. Douglas, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Ron Wyden - Elizabeth Day, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand - Jameela Conway-Turner, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice - Marina M. Mendoza, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice - Elizabeth Shuey, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families
2016
Federal Policy Fellows
- Amy Leffler, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice - Tracy Clopêt, Ph.D.
Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families - Marina Mendoza, Ph.D.
National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice - Elizabeth Shuey, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Sangeeta Parikshak, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families - Kirby Chow, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services
2015
Federal Policy Fellows
- Lynlee Tanner Stapleton, Ph.D.
U.S. Agency for International Development - Cristina Novoa, Ph.D., M.P.P.
Office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand - Kirby Chow, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Amy Griffin, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Al Franken - Sangeeta Parikshak, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families - Beth Meloy, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families - Michelle Boyd, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Nina Philipsen Hetzner, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families
2014
Federal Policy Fellows
- Lynlee Tanner Stapleton, Ph.D.
U.S. Global Development Lab, U.S. Agency for International Development - Kathleen McCoy, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Julie A. Leis, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Christine Fortunato, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Sangeeta Parikshak, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse - Nina Philipsen Hetzner, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Beth Meloy, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families
2013
Federal Policy Fellows
- Amanda Clincy, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Kathleen McCoy, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Michelle J. Boyd, Ph.D.
House Ways and Means Committee - Lindsey Hutchison, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Beth Meloy, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Al Franken - Christine Fortunato, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Amanda Clincy, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Akilah Swinton, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Kelly R. Fisher, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families
2012
Federal Policy Fellows
- Charlayne Hayling-Williams, Ph.D.
Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration - Akilah Swinton, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Pamala Trivedi, Ph.D., NCSP
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Rebecca Taylor, Ph.D.
Office of Representative Betty McCollum - Kelly Fisher, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Tisha Wiley, Ph.D.
Office of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health
2011
Federal Policy Fellows
- Joseph L. Mahoney, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman - Elizabeth O’Hare, Ph.D.
Office of Representative Rush Holt - Charlayne Hayling, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman - Michelle Sternthal, Ph.D.
Office of Policy, Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development - Tisha Wiley, Ph.D.
Office of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health - Melinda Leidy, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Sarah Oberlander, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Sarah D. Lynne-Landsman, Ph.D.
National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health
2010
Federal Policy Fellows
- Melinda Leidy, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Christopher Dodd - Binta Beard, Ph.D.
Office of Representative Edward Markey - Elisa Klein, Ph.D.
Office of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health - Molly Irwin, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Sarah Oberlander, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Sacha Klein, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) and the Children’s Bureau’s Office of Child Abuse and Neglect, Administration for Children and Families - Nancy Geyelin Margie, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Ann Rivera, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families
2009
Federal Policy Fellows
- Diana Tyson, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Ann C. Rivera, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Nancy Geyelin Margie, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Samantha Harvell, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman - Taryn Morrissey, Ph.D.
Office of Senator M. Kennedy - Glenetta Hudson Harris, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start and Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Diana Tyson, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Jennifer Brown Urban, Ph.D.
Office of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health - Layla Esposito, Ph.D.
Eunice Kenney Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
2008
Federal Policy Fellows
- Kathleen Dwyer, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Sara Vecchiotti, Ph.D.
Perspective from a former Fellow with a placement in Congress - Ann Marie White, Ed.D.
Perspective from a former Fellow with placements in Congress and in the Executive Branch - Glenetta Hudson Harris, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start and Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Layla Esposito, Ph.D.
Eunice Kenney Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Michele M. Mazzocco, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman - Kathleen Dwyer, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Glenetta Hudson Harris, Ph.D.
Office of Head Start and Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families
2007
Federal Policy Fellows
- Dara Blachman, Ph.D.
Office of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health - Nicole Gardner Neblett, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Behnosh Najaf, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families - Jill Antonishak, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Tom Harkin - Taniesha A. Woods, Ph.D.
Office of Senator Christopher Dodd - Nicole Gardner Neblett, Ph.D.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services - Dara Blachman, Ph.D.
Office of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health - Carmela Lomonaco, Ph.D.
Eunice Kenney Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health - Erika Feinauer, Ph.D., Ed.D.
Development and Learning Sciences, National Science Foundation - Lauren R. Baskir, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health - Behnosh Najafi, Ph.D.
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families