The First 1,100 Days Last Forever: How Chicago Can Meet the Needs of Our Youngest Children

Geoffrey Nagle, Ph.D., is President and CEO of the Erikson Institute, a pioneer in the field of early childhood development and education. A Chicago institution for more than 50 years, Erikson works in more than 60 Chicago Public Schools, provides mental health counseling for children and families, and works with political leaders to expand services and education for young children. 

Nagle joined Erikson in January 2014 after serving as the founding director of the Tulane University Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, and an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Tulane University School of Medicine. 

There, he worked closely with Louisiana government leaders to overhaul the state’s childcare system. His advocacy resulted in Quality Start, a rating system for childcare centers, and the School Readiness Tax Credits, which have awarded more than $100 million in support of quality childcare. In 2016, the tax credit program was replicated in Nebraska.

At Erikson, he has championed new projects that are exploring technology use among young children; determining whether mindfulness strategies mitigate toxic stress among Chicago Public School students; opening up access to quality mental health services to families in the Little Village neighborhood; and training policymakers on early childhood issues. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Duke University, and two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Tulane.