Zigler Documentary Premieres at Fall Leadership Insitute

On Tuesday, September 13, 2022, a new documentary titled A Tribute to Edward Zigler 1930-2019: The Man, His Work, His Legacy honoring Dr. Ed Zigler premiered with a live audience at the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC). On September 20, 2022, NHSA played the documentary at the 2022 Fall Leadership Insitute.

“Ed Zigler was a mentor, teacher, and friend,” said Peter Salovey, Ph.D., Yale University president in a statement. “His work has been inspirational to me and many others in our field, and his profound influence extends well beyond psychology. For me, he set an example of how science and policy can join hands to benefit the lives of many.”

Zigler was a pioneer in the application of developmental psychology to social policy and known by many as the “Father of Head Start.” His life’s work is continued through the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy.

The video was produced by Geomatrix Productions in close collaboration with Gillam and Gitta Selva, who developed the storyline. In Selva’s words: “The tribute brings to life Ed’s legacy, charisma, and humor with video and audio clips by family, former students, colleagues, and luminaries.”

View the documentary.

About NHSA

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to realizing the promise of Head Start; that all children have a chance to succeed in school and in life. NHSA is the voice for nearly 700,000 children served by more than 250,000 staff every single day in rural, urban, and suburban communities in all 50 states. In 2025, we celebrate 60 years of service to 40 million children, their families, and communities across the country. ••• Media Contact: Lauren Lawson-Zilai; Senior Director, Communications; media@nhsa.org

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