Overview
WestEd supports the diverse needs of children and families through the development of high-quality programs and resources designed to support early intervention and equitable assessment, as well as infant, family, and early childhood mental health.
We work with federal, state, and local programs and systems to share evidence-based resources with those who need them most, while also building the capacity of the early childhood workforce to better serve young children and families.
Our experts have a deep understanding of the importance of policies that recognize and emphasize the relationship between the adult and the child as the key to healthy, positive early development and learning. To ensure all young children thrive, our teams work with our partners to equip families, caregivers, communities, and policymakers with resources and strategies designed to promote systemic change.
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Featured Experts
Catherine GoinsCatherine Goins is a Division Director at WestEd and a member of the agency’s senior leadership team. Goins is responsible for strategic business development for a diverse portfolio of projects across various content areas, including infant and toddler care, and resilient and healthy schools and communities. She leads and supports a 260+ person team focused on fulfilling a range of early care and K–12 education needs to improve outcomes for all learners.View Full Bio
Leslie FoxLeslie Fox is the Content Area Director for WestEd’s Early Childhood Intervention, Mental Health and Inclusion (ECIMHI) projects. She is responsible for project development and oversight of cross-sector early childhood policies and practices intended to improve learning, health, and developmental outcomes for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Leslie joined WestEd after working at the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs where she provided monitoring and technical assistance to state agencies implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).View Full Bio
Elizabeth MagruderAs a Senior Managing Director at WestEd, Elizabeth Magruder leads a vast portfolio of work in Early Childhood Systems and Policies and Early Childhood Intervention Mental Health and Inclusion, directing complex projects and teams. Magruder has worked in early education for over 20 years, from teaching dual and multilingual children ages 3–5, coaching, training, and mentoring pre-service teachers, to designing programs and curriculum for young multilingual learners. View Full Bio
Peter MangionePeter Mangione is the Senior Director for Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives and a Senior Managing Director at WestEd. He leads the development of comprehensive training resources for the early childhood workforce, particularly infant and toddler care providers. His contributions have shaped the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC)—a national model for the professional development of early childhood practitioners. Mangione has worked extensively and published in the fields of child development, early childhood education, public policy, and research, evaluation, and assessment. View Full Bio
Arlene Paxton Arlene Paxton is the Content Area Director for Infant and Toddler Care at WestEd. With more than 20 years of experience designing and developing systems that support professional development for educators serving children birth to age 3 and their families, her work increases the capacity and improves the quality of early care and education services through the delivery of training and technical assistance. She has led work nationwide in partnership with representatives from state and local education agencies, county offices of education, universities, and other partner organizations such as First 5 and the Educare Learning Network. View Full Bio
Osnat ZurOsnat Zur is the Director of the Early Childhood Learning and Development content area at WestEd. In this role, Zur serves as the lead evaluator and director on a range of projects focusing on the development of early learning standards, assessment, professional learning content, and evaluation. She co-directs the evaluation of the California Statewide Early Math Initiative, leads the revisions of the California Preschool Learning Foundations in ten domains, and serves as an expert consultant for the Exploratorium on the STEAM Starters project. Previously, Zur led WestEd’s partnership with the National Center for Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning.View Full Bio
WestEd Bulletin
Stay up to date with the latest WestEd news, events, research, and leading voices to support your commitment to improving learning, healthy development, and equity in schools and communities.
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WestEd Presenting at the 2024 NAEYC Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA
Events / November 6, 2024
Join WestEd’s early childhood experts at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference, November 6–8, 2023, held in Anaheim, California.
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Expanding Access to Inclusive Early Education for Children With Disabilities
Insights & Impact / October 3, 2024
This blog post covers strategies to expand access to inclusive early education for children with disabilities. The strategies are based on findings from WestEd’s evaluation of the California Department of Education’s Inclusive Early Education Expansion Program (IEEEP). -
Ross Adams Presenting at the 2024 ASHA Convention
Events / November 20, 2024
Ross Adams, Early Intervention Content Specialist at WestEd, will present at the 2024 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention held December 5–7, 2024, in Seattle, Washington, with a virtual poster session available on November 20, 2024.
