Ciara Mercadel-Lowe is a Learning Advocate in the Children’s Defense Fund-Louisiana office. Ciara has been with the Children’s Defense Fund for over three years working with the various programs. Her responsibilities include the New Orleans Early Education Support Initiative as well as Juvenile Justice activities specifically working with the Cradle to Prison Summit and Child Watch. Ciara received her Master of Criminal Justice with a concentration in Juvenile Justice from Southern University of New Orleans and her B.A. in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Dillard University. She is currently enrolled at Strayer University working on a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.