Eva Lester is Early Childhood Policy Advisor to Governor Napolitano and Director of the Governor’s Division for School Readiness. 

Before joining the Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families in 2003, Eva worked for the National Center for Early Development and Learning at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina as a data collector for a national, longitudinal study of pre-kindergarten and school readiness.  This was the first study of its kind to include extensive classroom observations, child assessments, and kindergarten follow-up, and is still generating new data on what kinds of early childhood experiences lead to the best outcomes in kindergarten and beyond.  Eva also has experience working with substance exposed and autistic children in a therapeutic preschool setting.    

In addition to managing the Division for School Readiness and acting as a liaison between the Early Childhood Development and Health Board (“First Things First”) and the Governor’s office, Eva also staffs the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet which brings together leadership from multiple state agencies to discuss systems issues related to the wellbeing of children and families.

She graduated with honors in Sociology from Vassar College.