FPG faculty fellows play a vital role in our work. They have a primary appointment in an academic or health affairs department, while also actively and substantially participating in research, evaluation, implementation, or technical assistance projects at FPG. As valued members of the Institute, they foster innovative and interdisciplinary work and enhance our collaborations and impact across campus and beyond. In our Faculty Fellow Profile series, we showcase some of these remarkable individuals and their outstanding contributions at the University and in collaboration with FPG.

This year, the Marvin H. McKinney Scholars Program in Research, Practice, and Policy at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute welcomed two stellar students―Zairen Jackson from Bennett College and Sydney Shepherd from North Carolina A&T State University. Just before the 2024 summer program wrapped up, Jackson and Shepherd took time to reflect on their experiences over the last eight weeks.

It's been an active and productive spring for everyone at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. In this quarterly update, we share a sampling of our new publications, speaking engagements, presentations, trainings, awards, milestones, and more.

Committed to delivering early intervention services in a family-centered way, Jessica Amsbary, PhD, is leading a new project, “Empowering Culturally Diverse Families in Early Autism Intervention for Toddlers.” Amsbary, a technical assistance specialist at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG), is collaborating with Jessica Kinard, PhD CCC-SLP. The project will be part of and complement the current modules of the Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules (AFIRM).

The Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) is excited to announce its implementation of a distributed leadership model. The leadership team was inspired by a report from the Building Movement Project, Structuring Leadership: Alternative Models for Distributing Power and Decision-Making in Nonprofit Organizations.

After receiving requests for assistance from state and entity leaders of early childhood systems throughout the country on how to be more intentional in making changes to address disparities in how diverse groups of children and families receive supports and experience positive outcomes through their state or entity Part C and Part B, Section 619 programs, Sherri Britt Williams has led a year-long process of engaging diverse critical perspectives in the development of competencies for equity and inclusion-focused leadership.

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute Director Brian Boyd was recently appointed president-elect of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), a professional society that aims to engage in research and research-related activities in autism.

Trained as a development economist, Sean Sylvia, PhD, associate professor of health economics at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, focuses his work on using economic principles and behavioral psychology to improve the implementation of public health programs and health care delivery. Sylvia is also a faculty fellow at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute.

Two new web articles from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute illustrate how they work to strengthen state systems and increase equitable and inclusive practices.