David Mandell

What the mission means to David

There’s nothing that will have a bigger impact than ensuring every baby has a strong start in life. Getting there means working together in new ways that puts the needs of babies and their families first. Evidence and research-informed policy-making are crucial tools for achieving this vision, but we also need the collective will to do what is right for babies. 

Professional Background 

David Mandell joined ZERO to THREE in 2024. He has close to twenty years of experience in early childhood policy development, research, and state administration. He served as the Chief of Policy and Research for the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care and as the Special Advisor on Early Childhood to Oregon Speaker of the House Tina Kotek. He was also Oregon’s Pritzker Early Learning Fellow. During his time in state government, David pioneered the development of Baby Promise, an innovative program to increase access for infants and toddlers to high-quality, affordable care. He also played an instrumental role in the development of Oregon’s cross-sector and cross-agency early childhood strategic plan, Raise Up Oregon. He was also part of the leadership team responsible for creating a new, standalone state agency, the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care.  

Prior to working for the state government, he was the Policy & Research Director for the Children’s Institute, Oregon’s leading early childhood advocacy organization. He earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Chicago. 

Future Vision

David envisions a future where every baby and every family has the support they need and deserve to thrive.  David has a deep commitment to collaborative policy making that is grounded in research and in the lived experiences of families and practitioners as a means for achieving that vision.