Julie Nicholson serves as Deputy Program Director with WestEd's Center for Child & Family Studies (CCFS), where she leads new projects and product development efforts, and further builds CCFS as a leader in the early childhood development field. Nicholson is also Associate Professor of Practice in the School of Education at Mills College. Her research and publications emphasize social justice and equity in several areas including assessment in early childhood education. She regularly gives keynote presentations across the U.S. and internationally and has participated on local and state-level policy committees addressing child care and early care and education.