Julie Tarr
Director of Evaluation
Program Director/State College
Knight Foundation

Julie Tarr in her capacity as the Director of Evaluation is responsible for designing evaluation plans for grants across three program areas: Journalism, National Initiatives and Communities Program to measure change resulting from Knight Foundation investments. She also serves as a program director for the Philadelphia and State College communities. Dr. Tarr helped launch Knight Foundation’s Community Partners Program, which seeks opportunities to transform and improve the quality of life in the communities the foundation funds. Dr. Tarr is the former associate director for the Center for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. She also previously worked for the City of New York and City of Chicago in housing and community development. 

Jovita Veguilla
Sr. Program Administrator, Early Learning Research Academy
Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership
Rutgers University – Camden

Ms. Veguilla has extensive experience in bilingual education, planning and conducting effective Early Childhood Development programs, curriculum development etc. As a Sr. Program Administrator at the Early Learning Research Academy, Ms. Veguilla is responsible for curriculum development for the infant to pre-school population; development of dual language curriculum from early education through the primary grades; planning and implementation of training program for parents; and overall design and implementation of instructional components of the Early Learning Research Academy. 

Cecilia Zalkind
Executive Director,
Association for Children of New Jersey

Cecilia Zalkind is the Executive Director of the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), a statewide child advocacy organization. ACNJ advocates on behalf of children and families in the areas of early care and education, child welfare, juvenile justice, health and support for low-income families. Ms. Zalkind is the Chairperson of the Early Care and Education Coalition, which has been instrumental in advocating for high quality preschool programs in New Jersey and the state Adoption Services Advisory Committee, which advocates for children in foster care.