Shaakira Parker is an Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow at Strategies for Children, where she supports SFC’s research, policy, and advocacy efforts, including policy monitoring, analysis, and implementation. Shaakira is also a third-year doctoral candidate in social policy at Brandeis University, interested in improving early childhood systems, the intersection of early childhood education and early childhood mental health, policies and practices to reduce disparities in exclusionary discipline in early childhood settings, and the disruption of the cradle-to-prison pipeline. Prior to joining SFC, Shaakira held several roles across research, policy, and advocacy in early childhood, health, and family wellbeing. She has worked with the Learning Policy Institute, the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care as a Rappaport Public Policy Fellow, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and Children’s National Hospital. Her work has focused on translating research into actionable policy, advancing equity, and strengthening systems that support children and families. Shaakira began her career as a preschool teacher, an experience that continues to shape her passion for creating opportunities for all children to thrive and her commitment to partnering with families and communities along the way. She has a Master of Arts in Social Policy from Brandeis University, a Master of Public Health from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Science in Child Development from Vanderbilt University.