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Adrien Malek-Lasater, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Early Childhood Education at the University of North Florida and Director of Research and Professional Development for the UNF Preschool. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science at the University of Oklahoma, her master’s degree in Family and Child Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma, and her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa.

Dr. Malek-Lasater has spent approximately ten years working with young children and families as an early childhood education teacher and an early intervention child development specialist. She has served children and families in center-based early care and education programs including Head Start/Early Head Start programs. Prior to her years in the field of education and family services, she worked as a Registered Dietitian in the clinical setting. Dr. Malek-Lasater’s has a strong interdisciplinary background in both practice and research. Her research interests focus on improving learning environments for teachers and children. Specifically, fostering positive teacher and child well-being and improving mealtimes in early care and education settings.