Profiles

Sharon Loza is an education researcher in the Research in Education And Development (READ) team with the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Sharon has extensive experience in the early childhood education and care field performing work as a researcher, evaluator, program administrator, trainer, and technical assistance specialist in implementation science and educational system, practice, and policy efforts. She has worked on multiple education initiatives focused on improving the education, care, health, and wellbeing of young children with varying abilities and their families. Sharon has led multiple research and evaluation agendas and has supported global efforts to enhance early childhood education and care, including serving as a contributor to an International Seminar and UNESCO report on literacy, a Nepali education sector assessment and report on early grade reading, and Ministry observational tour for officials to facilitate enhanced awareness of various education systems and models. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development with an emphasis in Educational Research and Policy Analysis from North Carolina State University, a doctoral fellowship at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute focused on secondary data analysis of large-scale longitudinal educational research studies, and acquired her Master’s in Early Childhood Intervention and Family Support and Bachelor’s in Psychology and French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.