Colleen Vesely

Dr. Colleen Vesely is an Associate Professor and Academic Program Coordinator for Graduate Studies in Inclusive Early Childhood Education at George Mason University’s College of Education and Human Development. Her work focuses on antiracist pedagogy, family partnership, and equity in early care and education, particularly for structurally marginalized families. She employs Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) to address systemic oppression and improve educational access.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Family Science (University of Maryland, 2011)
  • M.A. in Human Development and Family Studies (University of Connecticut, 2006)
  • B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies (Colorado State University, 1999)

Research Interests include:

• Transforming systems of oppression via CBPAR
• Family partnership and systems change
• Antiracist pedagogy in teacher education
• Equity data analysis in education
• Gender inclusivity for young children
• Immigrant family resilience and access to ECE

Recent Trends in Scholarship emphasize antiracist curriculum development, gender-inclusive classrooms, and qualitative studies on immigrant and marginalized families. Her work bridges educational theory with community-driven solutions.

Scientific Awards:

• Jewell L. Taylor National Graduate Fellowship (2010, 2008)

Grants include funding from the Spencer Foundation, Fairfax County Office for Children, Bruhn Morris Family Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She frequently collaborates with teams like the Child Care and Early Education Research and Policy Consortium.

Labs/Teams: Facilitates the Child Care and Early Education Research Collaborative and works with community partners like Amigas de la Comunidad to co-create resources for immigrant families.