Jordan Thibodeaux, PhD is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, and graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia) in 2016. Mr. Thibodeaux’s research focuses on the role of broad psychological assets (e.g., motivation, belongingness), and how personal and social-cultural growth experienced within non-academic contexts (e.g., sport) can contribute to optimal functioning in educational and youth programs.
In 2021, he joined the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as a Senior Research Associate. In his current role, he is focused on conducting policy research and managing program evaluation efforts in child welfare with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. Mr. Thibodeaux is also engaged in his field through peer-reviewed scholarship, as well as dissemination of research directly to early child practitioners working in government and community-based work across child welfare, family services, and education. Prior to this role, he served as an assistant professor of psychology at Arkansas Tech University (Russellville, AR).
As a member of the Zero to Three 2022-24 Fellowship Class, he plans to engage with advanced professionals in prenatal-to-three fields and use the experience and knowledge of the fellowship to infuse child and family policy with cutting-edge science, community-owned evidence, and front-line stakeholder engagement.
Mr. Thibodeaux resides in Lafayette, Louisiana with his wife Christina, and is the proud dad of two daughters.
