Rachel Fulcher Dawson

Rachel Fulcher Dawson, Ph.D., is an Associate Director at the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame. In her role, she leads the research operations of LEO. She is trained and has spent much of her professional career doing social policy analysis, evaluation and education research. She has consulted with nonprofits, schools and state governments, worked for the federal government at both an agency (Department of Education) and on Capitol Hill. Her research and policy interests focus on early childhood education and childcare, K-12 education reform and translating research for policy. She teaches as a Concurrent Adjunct Professor in Notre Dame’s Education, Schooling and Society program. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Marquette University, a Masters in Public Policy and Management from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Michigan State University.