Faculty and Community Partners

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee consists of faculty in both the School of Education’s Early Childhood Education program faculty with expertise in early childhood education and the School of Social Work’s Child & Family Studies program. faculty with expertise in child development. The faculty are actively engaged in both the academic preparation of teacher educators and care providers (birth to age eight) and a robust research program in early childhood education and child development.

Name Title Institution Department Email
Cynthia DiCarlo Executive Director LSU Education [email protected]
Jennifer Baumgartner Member-at-large LSU Education [email protected]
Nick Fears Member-at-Large LSU Kinesiology [email protected]
Gene Geist Member-at-large LSU Education [email protected] 
Carrie Ota Member-at-large Weber State University Child & Family Studies [email protected]

Louisiana University Members

The Louisiana University Members consists of faculty from multiple disciplines across the state who work with young children. These faculty have research and academic focus on the early childhood population.

Name Institution Department Email
Alica Benton LSU Education [email protected] 
Michelle Fazio Brunson Northwestern State University  Early Childhood Education [email protected]
Katie Cherry LSU Psychology [email protected]
Chien-Jen Chiang LSU Human Sciences & Education [email protected]

Eileen Haebig

 LSU Communication Sciences & Disorders [email protected]

Ryan M. Hulteen

 LSU Kinesiology [email protected]
Kamile Geist LSU Music [email protected]
Emily C. Marcinowski LSU Kinesiology  [email protected]
Judy Myhand LSU Agriculture Nutrition & Food Sciences [email protected]
Kenyetta Nelson-Smith Southern University and A&M Family and Consumer Sciences [email protected]
Laura Piestryznski LSU Education [email protected]
Leanne Redman LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center Reproductive Endocrinology & Women’s Health [email protected]
Katherine Spring LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior [email protected]
Amanda Staiano LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior [email protected]
Wan-Chun Su LSU  Kinesiology [email protected]
Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell LSU Literacy Leadership & Urban Education [email protected] 
Lindsay Weixler Tulane University Early Childhood Policy [email protected]
Linda Aidong Zhang LSUS Education & Human Development [email protected]

Community Partners

Community partnership is available to partners in the community from a variety of disciplines whose work focuses on young children. Community Affiliated partners must be nominated by LSU faculty. 

Institution Name Department Email
Agenda for Children Derrick Toups  Center for Early Childhood Advancement [email protected] 
Louisiana Board of Regents Michelle DeMeulaneare Early Childhood [email protected]
Louisiana Policy Institute for Children Libbie Sonnier  Community Non-Profit [email protected] 
Pointe Coupee Early Childhood Coalition Pheriche Perkins Community Non-Profit [email protected]
Ready Start EBR Angela Barnes  Division of Early Childhood & Literacy [email protected] 

External Members

External membership is available to faculty outside of Louisiana from a variety of disciplines whose work focuses on young children. External Affiliated members must be nominated by LSU faculty.

Name Institution Department Email
Elizabeth Beavers University of Houston-Clear Lake Education [email protected]
Aaron Deris Minnesota State University Education [email protected]
Sean Durham Auburn University Education [email protected]
Erin Harmeyer Rutgers University National Institute for Early Education Research [email protected]
Dan Isbell Penn State Music [email protected]
Lena Lee Miami University, OH Teacher Education [email protected]
Megan Purcell Purdue University Human Development & Family Studies [email protected]
Julie Schneider University of California Los Angeles Neuroscience, Diversity & Learning [email protected]
Ann Marie Stanley Penn State Music [email protected]
Marcella Terrusi University of Bologna  Life Quality Studies  [email protected]
Brittany Wittenberg Phoenix Children's Hospital Adaptive Care Team Program [email protected]

Graduate Fellows

Are you an early childhood researcher looking for community and collaboration?

Thank you for your interest in becoming an affiliated member of the Early Childhood Education Institute at Louisiana State University. The ECE Institute is an umbrella organization created to promote research and dissemination of recommended practices in early childhood care and education.

We hope you will consider joining us. If you are a researcher who is interested in being involved in the ECE Institute,  please send your CV to [email protected]. 

Are you a doctoral student looking for a research mentor?

We strive to offer collaborative opportunities for doctoral students by connecting them with highly-regarded researchers in their field. If you are a student who is interested, please reach out to [email protected]. 

 

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