Laura is research director at the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing. Currently, she oversees research design, implementation, and program evaluation for projects focused on child wellbeing, family resilience, adoption, permanency, and child care. Her professional research interests include: 1) building evidence-based models of support and interventions to promote the resilience and wellbeing of children and families, and 2) disseminating evidence in a way that is accessible and relevant to families, practitioners, advocates and other community members.
Laura graduated in 2006 from Clemson University, where she earned her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in public health. In 2011, she obtained her master’s in social work and completed a portfolio in applied statistical modeling from The University of Texas at Austin. Laura has been involved in research and program evaluation since 2004 and has worked in her current position since 2012.
Professional Interests
Child welfare, adoption and permanency, trauma-informed parenting, affordable child care, program evaluation, applied statistical modeling