It is difficult to talk about who I am and what brings me to this work without fully describing my family. They are a big part of who I am and how I see and interact with others in the world. The tremendous pride and emotion when I think about where I come from is a gift that I carry with me every day. I reflect on it daily and the gratitude I feel is an ever-present angel that is my protector and champion. Isabelle Allende often speaks of her ancestor spirits living with her and giving her the stories she tells. I can relate to this feeling, but also the spirits of the living that guide me in my decisions. I often talk about the gratitude I have for my role models, and those, on "whose shoulder I stand."
I have been engaged in the nonprofit community in Colorado for over 20 years. I am a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer from Honduras where my focus was maternal and child health; this experience inspired me to return to Colorado and work locally with children and families. It became more personal as a parent engaged in my now 16-year-old daughter's early care and education program. Later, as a stay home parent with my second child and an active member of the elementary school community, my personal life became my professional career.
In 2005, I became the program director of Family Star Montessori Early Head Start. Working there increased my love for the intense work with children, families, teachers, and community. As the Director of School Readiness at Mile High United Way, I focus on broader issues within the community and address the cycles of poverty and early education within a five county metro area. I am a doctoral candidate at the University of Denver in the College of Education. Combined with my current work position, I am able to bring policy and analysis forward to decision makers and the broader statewide Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Learning Community.
In 2011, I was selected in the 5th cohort of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program. The program was transformational for me as an early childhood leader, allowing me to formally study and pursue early childhood issues in a safe, supportive, and reflective environment. I have a master's degree in nonprofit management, but the opportunity to grow professionally and follow my passion was so exciting. Up until the Buell Leadership Program, I like to learn reading books, attending seminars, reading policy briefs, learning from other early childhood professionals the practical implementation and research-based approaches to early childhood that fed my need to know more and grow as a parent and professional. That was to pursue a PhD in the DU College of Education in Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies, to continue to ask questions not only of myself but address my critical issue identified through the Buell Fellowship year, and contribute to the scholarship and research of Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers. In Colorado, FFN care includes 57% (approximately 144,070) of the children under the age of six with all eligible adults in their households who work (Family, Friend, and Neighbor Learning Community, 2013; Colorado Children's Campaign, 2013).
In addition, families with children in FFN care settings do not always have access to the same state supported educational and environmental benefits as those using formal care (Family, Friend, and Neighbor Learning Community, 2013). The interests of the FFN population in Colorado is not represented and I believe if we significantly want to increase school readiness and increase the number of children reading proficiently at grade level, we need to address the early learning and environment of all children before they enter kindergarten. I believe leadership can occur from wherever you sit and influence occurs when you have trust and respect of others.
I have led and supervised large and small groups of youth, parents, co-workers, early childhood teachers, and staff. I am a founding board member and served six years for the Denver Preschool Program, which makes high-quality preschool possible for every Denver 4-year-old, regardless of their family income or neighborhood through tuition support to families and quality investments in preschool programs. I also served as board chair of the Arapahoe County Early Childhood Council and served on the Early Childhood Council Advisory Team (ECCAT) before the creation of the current Early Childhood Leadership Commission. I was selected as a Buell Early Childhood Leadership Fellow in 2011 and the same year received a Legacy Leader Fellowship with the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). One of the most challenging and rewarding experiences is convening community stakeholder in the FFN Learning Community. Working with volunteers, committed community members, and organizations takes a different level of leadership to maintain good communication, respect all voices at the table, provide direction, and most importantly move groups in a collaborative manner to action and results. We are moving forth an issue that has not been discussed openly and breaking new ground daily.
I will continue to convene community stakeholders around issues of early childhood systems development, combined with a two-generation approach of engaging family and community caregivers. This is changing current thinking in Colorado about what school readiness for all truly means. This is the social justice issue of the early childhood community. Through this process, I have found a voice emerge, not a new voice, but a voice that is stronger and focused. I think every day, on whose shoulders I stand, this work inspires me to think of how I become the shoulders to stand on.
Director, School Readiness
Mile High United Way
Denver, CO
[email protected]
Exceptional Emerging Leader 2015
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Rooted in my personal passion for standing up for our world's most vulnerable citizens, it is my personal mission to work diligently, effectively, and strategically; leaving no stone un-turned; and keeping a positive, flexible, and optimistic mentality in order to continuously grow as a leader influencing policy and improving lives.
Director of Government Affairs
National Head Start Association
Washignton, DC
[email protected]
Exceptional Emerging Leader 2015
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2
Letter of Recommendation 3
"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." — Chinese Proverb
My personal mission is to develop supportive, healthy, and resilient relationships with the children and families we provide services to, with committed colleagues who do the work, and with community partners that support the work that we do in the field of early childhood education. It is through my own personal experiences of once being a teen parent, who was seeking the guidance and support that would help me create a better life for my children that helps me understand the importance of truly involving those who I support and basing the support on where they are, their aspirations, and goals.
Fundamental to my approach are the positive and resilient relationships that are needed so that each person feels empowered to live to their highest potential. My approach is guided by the recognition and respect for the unique qualities and experiences of each individual person. I recognize each person's unique needs, experiences, and passions; it is through that recognition and acknowledgement that helps me see each person's great potential. What I know for sure is that throughout my own experiences in life there were mentors who saw my potential and empowered me to reach my aspirations and goals; it is now with the same love and guidance that pay it forward.
Instructor
Stanislaus County Office of Education
Ceres, CA
[email protected]
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Letter of Recommendation 1
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It is my mission to change how our society views children with a disability, one person at a time. We are all born with abilities that make us unique from each other. Society places value on our varied abilities resulting in some abilities to be labeled as a disability and others to be labeled as gifts. The act of labeling causes us to lose focus of what's important; the child and their relationship with their family and community.
Fundamental to my approach is to show parents, teachers, and my colleagues what children with a disability can do. I achieve my personal mission every time a parent, teacher, or colleague marvels at a child's uniqueness and no longer views them as having a disability. As a parent of a child with a disability, I've learned that what our society labels as a disability becomes a parents most valued gift.
Disabilities Manager
Stanislaus County Office of Education
Riverbank, CA
[email protected]
Exceptional Emerging Leader 2015
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2
My mission is to ensure young children are receiving the best possible care and education! I feel every child deserves a loving, secure relationship with highly-trained caregivers. I strive to ensure all teachers of young children have the education and tools they need to enhance the development of the whole child in a safe, healthy, positive, and nurturing learning environment that facilitates children's growth, discovery, and learning through a variety of developmentally appropriate experiences.
I want to inspire teachers to show children that their culture and language are valued. I want to encourage educators to allow every child to be actively involved in the learning process. I also want to assist caregivers to have the best possible environmental conditions and materials, so children can experiment and explore. I make an effort to assist each teacher as they focus on the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development of each child. I also believe in the importance of advocating for every child and family and improving social welfare to the best of my ability. Above all, it is my mission to make a difference in the lives of children, and families, as well as the professionals who work with those children and families.
Full-Time Instructor
Jamestown Community College
Mayville, NY
[email protected]
Exceptional Emerging Leader 2015
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2
Recently, I heard a saying that really resonated with me: When you do what you love, it's never work. This could not be truer for me when I think about my decision to make Early Childhood Education my career. That's right, a career. It's not just a job that provides me money to pursue other passions, but rather it's a livelihood that keeps me inspired and yearning for growth as a human being. Humans are social creatures, where relationships are at the core of our well-being, and in these relationships reciprocity emerges. In all facets of all relationships there are levels of Teaching and Learning.
When I am with the toddlers I work with, I embrace the children as my teachers and guides because they help me learn and grow as a teacher and a person. They ground me in what's important in life: to always approach situations with a sense of wonderment, to be unafraid of taking risks mentally, socially, emotionally, and physically. We humans tend to start off bold and courageous in the world around us, but somewhere down the line we lose that; but if we are lucky enough to have people in our lives to keep us inspired and hungry for growth and knowledge, then we might not lose those elements that make the human spirit so great. This is the person I want to be, not only for the children and families in my care, but for everyone I meet in this wonderful life.
As I grow as an educator (and person), I see the niche I am carving out for myself and, as it becomes clearer and clearer, I also begin to see the impact and responsibility that comes with it. Whether we like it or not, men in early care and education are tasked with an unspoken task to be champions of social and gender equality. By simply working with young children, we are performing a task of advocacy that directly challenges Western ideas on gender roles, masculinity/femininity, and misconceptions about men in early care and education. This is a task, or mission if you will, that I am more than willing to champion by any means necessary. Often times this happens in the classroom where I am fortunate enough to hear the children's theories and questions about the world around them.
Opportunities like this implore me to give children an unbiased experience where their interactions, theories, and questions are met with support, guidance, and compassion. This also happens in my everyday life when someone new I meet asks what I do for a living. I often have to batten down the hatches of frustration to discuss why it's important for gender balance in the classrooms, and how it isn't an "adorable" thing, and how it is actually unfortunate that we don't see more men working with children — young or old. And while it feels like a daunting task that is being fought uphill, I find myself with like-minded spirits who support and invigorate me, keeping my fire bright and hot.
The saying that laughter is contagious could also be said for passion. Passion is contagious, and I hope that with every opportunity I am provided with to share my passion, no matter how small or big, and that it spreads like wildfire and instills hope and awareness about the importance of Early Childhood Education for children, adults, and society.
Toddler Teacher
Hilltop Children's Center
Seattle, WA
[email protected]
Exceptional Emerging Leader 2015
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2
Letter of Recommendation 3
Meeting the need of children orphaned by the Ebola outreach in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
National Director
ChildHelp Sierra Leone
Freetown
[email protected]
Exceptional Emerging Leader 2015
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2
I am a scholar of human development, dedicated to understanding developmental processes in early childhood that support healthy development for young children.
My career goals are: 1) to transform the way our society views infants and toddlers, and 2) to enhance communication between young children and caregivers by supporting adults' understanding of what infants are capable of perceiving, thinking, and feeling.
To this end, my research is designed to 1) reveal the capacities of the preverbal mind, 2) describe infants' and adults' contributions to the bi-directional relationships that shape early development, and 3) develop effective teaching strategies to help young adults (future parents, pre-service early child educators) build the knowledge and skills to optimally support infants, toddlers, and their families.
These career goals have led me to integrate my research with my teaching in, and service to, the field of early care and education. Each year I teach 100 university students about infant and toddler development, practices and policies that influence early development, and use of assessments to screen, monitor, and support developmental outcomes; this is likely more individuals than read any of my research articles in a given year, or perhaps, ever. Further, almost all of these students will be parents, and the majority will be early childhood professionals.
With this in mind, my approach to teaching shifted fundamentally. I began to consider each course as an intervention, and to see a tremendous potential impact related to my career goals. Yet, I also realized that I know relatively little about the knowledge, attitudes, and skills with which my students enter and leave my courses. As I reflected on my students' learning, I also became aware that there is some knowledge I find it very hard to help my students understand (e.g., infants' capacities to detect and respond to, but not to manipulate, adults' emotions; toddlers' capacities for empathy, but not coordinated sharing and turn-taking), and skills I do not know how to help them build.
When I shared these ideas with colleagues who teach similar courses, I found that most share my concerns, frustrations, and hopes. Thus, I identified like-minded colleagues in 20 universities in the U.S., and formed the Collaborative for Understanding the Pedagogy of Infant/Toddler Development (CUPID... the "T" is silent). Working as coordinator of this group, together we have accomplished a great deal over the last three years.
We have: a) developed a set of nine competencies that professionals need to work effectively with infants, toddlers, and families, including knowledge, attitudes, and skills; b) developed measures for three competencies; c) created a research agenda to investigate student and course characteristics that moderate student learning; d) collected pilot data in four universities; and e) disseminated our initial work by presenting at the Network of Infant Toddler Researchers meeting at the Administration for Children and Families, the World Association for Infant Mental Health, and the Head Start Research Conference.
Our first study identified effects of students' attachment styles on their attitudes toward and skills for working with infants and toddlers; this paper has been accepted for publication in Early Education & Development, and we will discuss the implications of these findings for our pedagogies at the SRCD Teaching Institute (March, 2015). This year we are collecting pre- and post-data each semester (> 1,000 students in 10 universities), and collecting data from instructors about their courses, in order to understand students' learning and its relations to both student backgrounds and course characteristics.
By taking a reflective and developmental approach to our students' learning — that is, by modeling the same humility, curiosity, and collaboration that we want our students to have in their work with children — CUPID hopes to advance the pedagogical knowledge in our field in order to better educate the future infant/toddler workforce, and ultimately to change the way our society views and supports our youngest children and their families.
Assistant Professor of Early Child Development and Education
Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
[email protected]
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2
Letter of Recommendation 3
To create the conditions that give all children opportunities to have meaningful choices to live happy lives and make the world a better place.
Early Childhood Education Policy Officer
Thornburg Foundation
Santa Fe, NM
[email protected]
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Letter of Recommendation 1
Letter of Recommendation 2