Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Louisiana Policy Institute for Children

Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D., has served as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children since 2019. Recognized for her tenacity and deep commitment to children, Dr. Sonnier has led teams in system-wide initiatives for the betterment of children, families, caregivers, and practitioners for more than two decades. During her time at the Louisiana Policy Institute, she has helped secure and direct more than $1B for early care and education in Louisiana, including the state’s largest new early learning investments in a decade and a 20-year millage that creates one of the nation’s largest dedicated funds for infant and toddler care in New Orleans. Since 2019, she also doubled the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children’s research and media engagement outputs, tripled its staff, doubled its annual revenues, and secured its first three seven-figure grants. She also helped conceive, launch, and co-chair the Steering Committee of Geaux Far Louisiana, a comprehensive effort that engages parents and early childhood health and education providers in leading the transformation of the state’s early childhood systems to better meet the needs of families.

Prior to taking on leadership of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, she served as a state director of two federal programs, where she managed multi-million-dollar budgets. She developed and implemented pilot programs for children, birth to age five, in four states across multiple agencies and community partners to improve the efficiency and efficacy of direct services for children and their families. Dr. Sonnier’s experiences conducting longitudinal and experimental research allow her to translate scientific findings into meaningful and practical policies that support better life outcomes for children. She is coauthor of multiple publications and technical reports, training curricula, and, with Drs. Sharon and Craig Ramey, The Four Diamonds Checklist and The Quality System to Achieve Results for Young Children in all Settings (Q-STAR).

Dr. Sonnier is the recipient of the Hulick Serving Spirit Fellowship Award for her commitment to individuals with disabilities across the life course, the Rotary Club’s Extraordinary Woman “Rising Star” Award, a New Orleans City Business 2020 & 2022 Women of the Year honoree, a 2020 Leadership Louisiana participant, one of 2021 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana’s “16 Women Paving the Way for Louisiana’s Future,” a St. Charles Magazine 2022 ChangeMaker, and a 2022 Friends of Children award recipient from the Louisiana Early Childhood Association. Dr. Sonnier received a Doctor of Philosophy in human development from Virginia Tech, a Master of Education in early childhood intervention and family support services from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in special education with an emphasis in early childhood intervention from the University of Southern Mississippi.