Myra Jones-Taylor, National Fellow, is the Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE, the national leader on infant-toddler policy and program development. There, she leads the development and implementation of the organization’s policy agenda, priorities and strategies; oversees the policy center, which includes federal and state policy and advocacy; and serves as the principal spokesperson for the organization on public policy matters with policymakers, the media, funders and partner organizations. She oversaw the creation of the first of its kind State of Babies Yearbook and the Think Babies campaign. Named a Care 100 Warrior and one of the most influential people in care, Jones-Taylor is a national leader in the movement to redefine care and the role of the care economy in everyday life.
In the spring of 2022, Jones-Taylor joined the Urban Institute as their first chief policy impact officer, where she worked with experts and analysts across the organization to help maximize the impact of their research, while also helping tell the story of how their work changes lives and strengthens communities.
Prior to her role at ZERO TO THREE Jones-Taylor served as Connecticut’s founding Commissioner of Early Childhood, leading the cabinet-level state agency responsible for early care and education, home visiting, early intervention, and child care licensing in the state, serving all children from birth through age five. During her time as Commissioner, the state agency was awarded $50 million in new, competitive federal grants and expanded access to high-quality preschool to 25 percent more three and four-year-olds.
Jones-Taylor received a joint doctorate in American studies and anthropology from Yale University. She has the honor of being both an Ascend Fellow and a Pahara Fellow at the Aspen Institute. She writes and speaks about racial identity, systemic racism, and social inequality. You can find her writing and speaking about these issues in the Atlantic and on the podcast The Longest Shortest Time. She is also an active board member of national organizations committed to equity and supporting the needs of young children and families, including All Our Kin and the Irving Harris Foundation. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and two children. As a fellow, she worked on a book that drew from personal and professional experiences to call attention to the ways gendered and racial inequities in child care policy have contributed to the current child care crisis.
Selected Work
- Helping My Fair-Skinned Son Embrace His Blackness: An essay reflecting on the nuances of racial identity and the challenges that arise in wanting to be seen for the Atlantic.
- How Will They Know I’m Black?: An interview on the Longest Shortest Time about the challenges of asserting racial identity when one “passes” as white.
- Pres. Biden’s “American Families” Plan Includes Billions for Childcare, Paid Family Leave: An interview on MSNBC about the Biden Administration’s childcare promises.