Nicole O’Dea (she/her) joined TIER in September 2022. She has a breadth of experience in applied program evaluation within the birth to five service system, specializing in mixed-methodologies at the intersection of developmental psychology and public health. Her research interests focus broadly on the applied developmental significance of caregiver characteristics, experiences of stress and support, and disparities in the quality of support offered across ecological contexts. Currently, Nicole manages MA Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) evaluations.
Prior to TIER, she worked as a home visitor and graduate research associate at UCONN’s Center For Applied Research in Human Development, evaluating family engagement in Head Start and Early Head Start programs. During her doctoral training, she was a research fellow at the Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise (MIPE) at Clark University, where she evaluated interventions that supported the socioemotional development of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. She has also held several research positions engaging in needs assessment, quality improvement, and implementation projects to support local, state, and federal partners across the birth to five service system.
Nicole received a BA in Psychology and Community Health from Hofstra University and am MA in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in prevention and early intervention from UCONN. She completed her doctoral training in Developmental Psychology from Clark University. During her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family (especially her toddler and Bernese!), and quiet time at the beach.