Abby is the Policy Director at the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center. In her role, she leads the policy team in conducting rigorous and comprehensive reviews of the evidence on prenatal-to-3 policies and tracking the development, adoption, and implementation of these policies, including their potential to promote equity. She also oversees the production of the annual Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap.
Abby’s policy expertise is in early care and education, with a broader background in social, family, and early childhood policy. Her dissertation research focused on the intersection of nonstandard and unpredictable work schedules, child care, and maternal well-being. This work was supported by a Child Care Research Scholar Dissertation Grant from the U.S. Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation in the Administration for Children and Families. During graduate school in Texas, Abby also participated in program evaluation work, primarily on home visiting programs. Prior to her doctoral work, Abby worked at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington, DC, focusing on family economic security, employment, and education policy.
Abby holds a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Texas at Austin. She also holds an M.P.P. from The George Washington University and a B.A. in political science from St. Olaf College. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two young daughters. In her spare time, Abby enjoys engaging in an annual book-reading competition with close friends.
