Announcement From the Bipartisan Policy Center

Washington, D.C. – The Bipartisan Policy Center today welcomed Walter S. Gilliam, Ph.D., as a new senior fellow working with BPC's Early Childhood Initiative. Dr. Gilliam, most known for his work on preschool expulsion and suspension, early childhood mental health, and race and gender bias in early childhood settings, is the executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and the Richard D. Holland Presidential Chair in Early Childhood Development at the University of Nebraska.

"We are thrilled to work with Dr. Gilliam," said Linda K. Smith, director of BPC's Early Childhood Initiative. "His work on child development, the science of infant bonding, and mental health interventions in early childhood is foundational for our field. Dr. Gilliam has been a steadfast advocate for infants and working families, and we can't wait to continue our work together." 

“It’s an absolute honor to join the Bipartisan Policy Center as a senior fellow and be among so many esteemed colleagues who are advancing practical policy solutions to improve the well-being of our country—and especially our nation’s children," said Dr. Gilliam. "I look forward to contributing to BPC’s collective work to ensure all of America’s babies and children have access to quality early childhood education opportunities. Progress requires commitment from all of us, and I could not be more excited to partner with BPC and leverage our combined knowledge and expertise in the field of early childhood.”

Dr. Gilliam was co-recipient of the prestigious 2008 Grawemeyer Award in Education for the coauthored book A Vision for Universal Preschool Education. His research and scholarly writing address early childhood care and education, early childhood mental health, school readiness, developmental assessment of young children, and race and gender disparities in early childhood, as well as issues of COVID-19 transmission, vaccination, and health and safety promotion in early childhood settings. 

Dr. Gilliam is also a tenured professor at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a professor adjunct at the Yale Child Study Center.