Cynthia Osborne

Ph.D

Dr. Cynthia Osborne is the associate dean for academic strategies and director of the Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. She has a Ph.D. in demography and public affairs; MPP, M.A. in education; and B.A. in economics and psychology. She specializes in research in family demography, child and family well-being, and social policy.

Dr. Osborne is also the founder and director of the Child and Family Research Partnership (CFRP), a group that conducts research on policy issues related to young children, adolescents, and their parents. She most recently launched the new national Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, a resource for state leaders for the evidence on policies that strengthen outcomes for infants and toddlers. Her teaching and research interests include social policy issues, poverty and inequality, family and child well-being, early childhood, fatherhood, and family demography. Dr. Osborne has extensive experience leading long-term evaluations of state and national programs, with the aim of helping organizations understand what works, and how to ensure sustainable implementation of effective policies.