Nikki Cuddy

Nikki Cuddy was born and raised on the traditional and unceded territory of the Anishinabeg Algonquin people. Her current research interests include child care policy, educator retention and recruitment, and advocacy within the early learning and care sector. Through her graduate work in Community Development at UVic, Nikki is actively engaged in research and practice centered on inclusive evaluation frameworks grounded in design justice principles, with a particular interest in gaining policy support for intersectional, equity-focused initiatives. She is also exploring the role of land-based learning in early childhood contexts and how these approaches can inform more culturally responsive and sustainable child care policies.

Nikki holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Theatre and English (2008) and is a certified Early Childhood Educator with Infant Toddler specialization (ECE-IT). She has been working in the early years field since 2015 and has held roles as an educator, supervisor, and manager in a variety of respected early childhood settings.

Before entering the early childhood field, Nikki spent several years teaching English as a Second Language to children in Taiwan, South Korea, and Thailand. Altogether, Nikki brings over 20 years of diverse, hands-on experience supporting children and families in both local and international contexts.