Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center

Join Whole Health Louisiana (WHL) for our next Lunch-n-Learn on Thursday, June 18, from noon to 1 p.m. CST via Zoom, featuring Tara Lark from the Louisiana Autism Spectrum and Related Disabilities Project (LASARD).

📆 Thursday, June 18
⏰ 12-1 p.m.
📍 Zoom

Link to Register: bit.ly/WHL_LunchLearn
In this session, titled “Trauma-Informed Care for Individuals with Disabilities: Understanding Experiences and Improving Best Practices,” Lark will explore the unique challenges educators and providers face when supporting children with disabilities through a trauma-informed lens.

Join Whole Health Louisiana (WHL) for our next Lunch-n-Learn on Thursday, June 18, from noon to 1 p.m. CST via Zoom, featuring Tara Lark from the Louisiana Autism Spectrum and Related Disabilities Project (LASARD).

📆 Thursday, June 18
⏰ 12-1 p.m.
📍 Zoom

Link to Register: bit.ly/WHL_LunchLearn

In this session, titled “Trauma-Informed Care for Individuals with Disabilities: Understanding Experiences and Improving Best Practices,” Lark will explore the unique challenges educators and providers face when supporting children with disabilities through a trauma-informed lens.

🌞 National Heat Awareness Day 🌡️
As temperatures rise across Louisiana, Blanco Public Policy Center reminds you to stay safe in the heat.

Safety Tips: 💧 Stay hydrated ☀️ Limit time in direct sun 🧢 Wear light, breathable clothing

Even a few simple steps can protect you, your family, and your neighbors from heat-related illness.

Share this with someone who needs the reminder and take care of each other out there!

Today, we honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. On this Memorial Day, we reflect on their sacrifice and express our deepest gratitude.

At the Blanco Center, we recognize that freedom comes at a cost and we remain committed to serving our community with compassion, care, and purpose in their honor.

Let us take a moment to remember, reflect, and give thanks. 🇺🇸

A reminder that Whole Health Louisiana’s May Lunch-n-Learn takes place tomorrow.

Led by Lindsey Boxie, this session will focus on maternal mental health and practical, trauma-informed approaches that support employees before and after birth.

🔗 Register or join here: bit.ly/WHL_LunchLearn

This week's spotlight features Dr. Alejandra Leyton, Research Scientist at the Blanco Center. She leads the Causes and Consequences of Criminal and Delinquent Acts report as part of LA FIRST, a state partnership for data and policy research housed at the Blanco Center.

Dr. Leyton's research uses linked administrative data and both exploratory and causal approaches to understand the social and economic forces that draw people into the justice system, and the consequences that follow, from employment prospects to health outcomes. Before joining the Blanco Center, she built a wide-ranging research career contributing to projects on violence, social norms, and behavioral economics with organizations including the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Save the Children International. Her work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Applied Economics, and Child Abuse & Neglect.

Dr. Leyton earned her Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences, her Master of Public Health from Tulane University, and her B.S. in Economics from Universidad Católica Boliviana.

🎓 The Blanco Center celebrates our graduating student research assistants.

📚 Mikayla Smith
�B.A. Strategic Communication (Public Relations) | Spring 2026

Mikayla Smith has interned with the Blanco Center for the past two years, contributing to the EPSCoR Water Hazards project. Her work has included conducting field interviews, qualitative coding, and supporting research on how flooding and hurricanes impact communities across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

📊 Through this experience, Mikayla has developed technical skills across multiple platforms and gained hands-on experience connecting research to real-world policy and community impacts.

🧠 She credits her time at the Blanco Center with strengthening her research skills and deepening her understanding of the importance of lived experiences in shaping policy. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in data analytics and operations management.

📚 Maria Lindquist
M.S. Psychology | Spring 2026

Maria Lindquist has contributed to multiple research projects at the Blanco Center, including NSF EPSCoR HydroRise under Dr. Liz Skilton. Her work has focused on coordinating History Harvest planning and supporting qualitative research, including organizing, preparing, and coding data from events across Jackson, Mobile, and Lafayette. She has also supported academic writing efforts and helped guide undergraduate students through research activities and responsibilities.

📊 Maria has particularly enjoyed participating in History Harvest events and developing her skills in qualitative research and academic writing.

🏓 Fun fact: Maria is a member of the Ragin’ Cajun Pickleball Club

Blanco Center’s research scientist, Alejandra Leyton, was in Atlanta this week attending the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) event, “Second Chances, Stronger States: Higher Education in Prison Convening.” Leyton was part of Louisiana’s cross-sector team that showcased the state’s efforts to align systems and connect untapped talent to workforce opportunities.

Pictured from left to right: Jessica Vallelungo, Louisiana Works; Dr. Stephanie Gaskill, Loyola University; Dr. Lisa Vosper, Louisiana Board of Regents; Dr. Amy Cable, Louisiana Community and Technical College System; Kelsey Osman, Department of Public Safety and Corrections; and Dr. Alejandra Leyton, Blanco Center.

🎓 The Blanco Center celebrates our graduating student research assistants.

📚 Elizabeth Drell �B.S. Psychology | Minor in Human Development & Family Studies | Spring 2026

Elizabeth Drell has worked on a variety of projects at the Blanco Center, primarily within the Children and Family Task Force. Her work has included assessing literacy programs across Louisiana, monitoring legislative changes related to child and school law, and creating resources to support the dissemination of research findings.

🏆 Elizabeth has received multiple awards for her academic and research work, including a LEAF Award in Social Sciences and Judge’s Choice at UL Lafayette’s Undergraduate Research Conference. She is also a recipient of the Hait-Lewis Award for outstanding academic and research performance in psychology.

🎓 She has maintained a place on the President’s List while graduating two years early. Elizabeth plans to continue her education at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the Master’s in Psychology program, with the goal of becoming a clinical neuropsychologist.