Cynthia Fontcuberta DiCarlo, PhD, holds the Diane Toups Goyette Professorship of Early Childhood Education and serves as the Coordinator of the Early Childhood Education Teacher Education Program.  In her role as Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Institute at LSU, she oversees a variety of early childhood initiatives, including the LSU Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, the Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children (LAAEYC), and the LSU Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate (ECAC). Prior to joining LSU in 2004, she was a Clinical Assistant Professor at LSU Health Sciences Center (New Orleans), serving children with disabilities birth to age 3 in community child care, home-based and center based services, as well as teaching early childhood special education in Jefferson Parish Public Schools. 

Melanie was born and raised in Baton Rouge and got her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Louisiana State University. She then went on to earn her master's degree in Special Education from Southeastern Louisiana University. Melanie taught in public schools as an Early Interventionist for over a decade before going back to school at LSU to work on her PhD in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction.  

Elena Whatley is a President’s Aid student worker for the LSU ECEI from Mandeville, Louisiana. As a proud Louisiana resident, her ultimate goal is to contribute to the betterment of her home state. Outside of her contributions to the ECEI and LAAEYC, she is an avid volunteer in the Baton Rouge community. Elena is an undergraduate student in the Ogden Honors College, pursuing majors in psychology and political science with a concentration in law and legal systems as well as a minor in history. She plans to attend law school in the future.