people

Lindsay Weixler is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and founding co-Director of the New Orleans Collaborative for Early Childhood Research. Her current work examines ways to increase families’ access to early childhood education and other critical programs, and the effects of early education on child and family outcomes. Dr. Weixler holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology and Master’s Degree in Statistics from the University of Michigan. She previously worked at the U.S. Department of Education, where she was a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, and the Education Research Alliance for New Orleans, where she was Associate Director of Research.

Alica Gerry holds her Master’s in Public Policy, with a concentration in Early Childhood Policy, from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She is a senior research analyst with the Early Childhood Policy Research Lab, where she leads qualitative research projects.

Megan O’Connor serves as Program Manager for the Early Childhood Policy Research Lab. She brings experience in maternal and child health, equity research, and cross-sector collaboration. Prior to joining the Lab, Megan served as a Health Scientist with the CDC’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), where she led national quality improvement efforts and health equity initiatives. She holds a Master of Public Health from Louisiana State University.

Clara Randall graduated from Williams College in 2018 with a double major in Comparative Literature and History. While in the Americorps teacher training program after college, she completed her Master’s in Human Development and Psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She subsequently worked in research at the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2022, she began her doctoral studies in School Psychology under Dr. Courtney Baker at Tulane University. Her research broadly focuses on ways to improve the infant and early childhood system of care.

Lexie Contreras, MPH is a PhD candidate in Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how social determinants of health - particularly structural and neighborhood-level factors - impact youth health outcomes. She received her MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education, with a concentration in Social Epidemiology, from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and a BA in Geography from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Marisa Gekosky is an undergrad student at Tulane University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Entrepreneurial Business and English. She has worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant for the Early Childhood Policy Research Lab since January 2025.

Zoe Gittleman serves as a Research Assistant for the Early Childhood Policy Research Lab. She is currently an undergraduate student at Tulane University, majoring in Psychology with minors in Social Work and Design. Zoe’s academic and professional interests center on child development, early intervention and Autism. She plans to graduate in Spring of 2026 and pursue doctoral training toward a PsyD in Clincal Psychology, with the goal of working with children and adolescents.

Sophia Juhas is an undergraduate student at Tulane University studying Psychology, Social Work, and working toward the Gender Based Violence Certificate. After graduating, she plans to attend a Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology focusing on policy and advocacy.

Charlotte Spierings is a current Tulane senior, serving as a Research Assistant for the Early Childhood Policy Research Lab. She is majoring in Psychology with a minor in public health. Charlotte's academic and professional interests center on child development, particularly focused on Autism and behavioral intervention. After graduation, Charlotte plans to pursue doctoral training toward a PsyD in Clinical Psychology, with the goal of working with children and adolescents.