Supporting Program & Policy Development in Early Childhood Education Through Data-Driven Processes
My name is Mariel Doerfel.
The work I do supports parents, teachers, and children by increasing equity in access to high-quality early care and education. My work includes evaluating programs to assess their effectiveness, leading interviews and focus groups to learn about the needs of families with young children, and championing fair wages and benefits for teachers and other ECE professionals.
I also work behind the scenes with organizations that fund or evaluate early childhood education programs, helping them to optimize their procedures and analyze data, and providing recommendations for ongoing development of programs and policies.
I’m originally from Virginia, but I’ve been living and working in the Los Angeles area for the last 20+ years. I received my Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and chose to pursue work with nonprofit organizations as a means of giving back to the community.
In addition to my work with educational nonprofits and as an independent consultant, I have had the opportunity to evaluate and collaborate with state- and county-funded programs and initiatives. I am very familiar with the early childhood education landscape in California, and specifically in the Los Angeles area.
The Story of Sprout & Scaffold
In a sense, Sprout & Scaffold was my second pandemic baby. In 2021, during the COVID pandemic, my daughter was born; when she was four months old, I had to find a trusted childcare provider so I could return to work. I saw firsthand the challenges of finding affordable, high-quality childcare in order to balance the demands of work and family. In 2022, I began working as an independent consultant, and the seed of Sprout & Scaffold was planted.
The name Sprout & Scaffold reflects the dual approach shared by both early educators and developmental evaluators. We nurture and encourage children, organizations, or programs to help them sprout into existence on their own terms, and we also provide structured scaffolding for development, to strengthen and support them as they grow. My mission is to support growth and development at all levels by facilitating creative, collaborative thought, and by applying evidence-based recommendations and practices.
Personal Values
dedication
empathy
creativity
honesty
humor
