WORK EXPERIENCE IN ECE
Director, Best Start Communities, First 5 LA
(Los Angeles; December 2010-September 2011)
- Developed, implemented and led a place-based effort in 14 high-need communities across LA County, representing 1.5 million young children and their families
- Responsible for all aspects of department management, supervising/training 32 staff and 18 sub-contractors, developing/executing a scope of work, planning/managing 5-year $200M budget
- Represented Best Start to First 5 LA Commission and wider community; established collaborative relationships with stakeholders and partners; engaged in countywide policy initiatives and statewide ECE efforts
Director of Workforce Development, Los Angeles Universal Preschool
(Los Angeles; January 2007-December 2010)
- Created and managed Early Care & Education Workforce Initiative, awarding seven 5-year grants to collaborations of community colleges, universities and high schools, aimed at removing barriers and creating pathways to ECE careers
- Designed and implemented a Stipend Program providing roughly 225 stipends per year as an incentive to ECE teachers to complete college coursework and pursue degrees
- Developed and secured $37 million in funding for 5-year implementation of ECE Workforce Consortium involving the LA County Office of Education, LA County Office of Child Care, LA County Resource & Referral Network, seven community colleges and five CSU campuses
Assistant/Associate Professor, Northern Illinois University
(DeKalb, IL; August 1997-December 2006)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION; DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
- Served as faculty team leader for the inter-disciplinary early childhood unit
- Taught and advised undergraduate and graduate students in early childhood education, child development, working with families, and working in diverse settings
- Conducted research, published in refereed and non-refereed journals, presented workshops and seminars at national, regional, and local conferences
- Increased graduate student enrollment by 300% (from 24 in 2000 to 93 in 2006); increased undergraduate program capacity by 100% (from 30 to 60 students per year)
- Redesigned the early childhood program to strengthen emphasis on diversity, working with
families, and teaching dual language learners and children with special needs
Site Director, Illinois School District 65 Family Focus
(Evanston, IL; January 1992-September 1993)
- Developed and managed a school district-community partnership to offer family support in
accordance with state-funded, grant-dictated guidelines
- Successfully built a community-based family support center that involved over 150 families
each year, including a school-based satellite program in a low-income neighborhood
Program Director, Family Focus, Inc.
(Chicago, IL; July 1990-December 1991)
- Provided supervision, staff development, technical assistance to family support centers in
six Chicago communities
- Contributed to the development of grant proposals and new program initiatives
Director, Lincoln Park Child Care Center
(Chicago, IL; April 1985-June 1990)
- Transformed a half-day preschool into a full-service, year-round day care center
- Expanded from two to four classrooms, doubled enrollment, extended services to 2-year-olds, developed afterschool program for 5-8 year olds
(Los Angeles; December 2010-September 2011)
- Developed, implemented and led a place-based effort in 14 high-need communities across LA County, representing 1.5 million young children and their families
- Responsible for all aspects of department management, supervising/training 32 staff and 18 sub-contractors, developing/executing a scope of work, planning/managing 5-year $200M budget
- Represented Best Start to First 5 LA Commission and wider community; established collaborative relationships with stakeholders and partners; engaged in countywide policy initiatives and statewide ECE efforts
Director of Workforce Development, Los Angeles Universal Preschool
(Los Angeles; January 2007-December 2010)
- Created and managed Early Care & Education Workforce Initiative, awarding seven 5-year grants to collaborations of community colleges, universities and high schools, aimed at removing barriers and creating pathways to ECE careers
- Designed and implemented a Stipend Program providing roughly 225 stipends per year as an incentive to ECE teachers to complete college coursework and pursue degrees
- Developed and secured $37 million in funding for 5-year implementation of ECE Workforce Consortium involving the LA County Office of Education, LA County Office of Child Care, LA County Resource & Referral Network, seven community colleges and five CSU campuses
Assistant/Associate Professor, Northern Illinois University
(DeKalb, IL; August 1997-December 2006)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION; DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
- Served as faculty team leader for the inter-disciplinary early childhood unit
- Taught and advised undergraduate and graduate students in early childhood education, child development, working with families, and working in diverse settings
- Conducted research, published in refereed and non-refereed journals, presented workshops and seminars at national, regional, and local conferences
- Increased graduate student enrollment by 300% (from 24 in 2000 to 93 in 2006); increased undergraduate program capacity by 100% (from 30 to 60 students per year)
- Redesigned the early childhood program to strengthen emphasis on diversity, working with
families, and teaching dual language learners and children with special needs
Site Director, Illinois School District 65 Family Focus
(Evanston, IL; January 1992-September 1993)
- Developed and managed a school district-community partnership to offer family support in
accordance with state-funded, grant-dictated guidelines
- Successfully built a community-based family support center that involved over 150 families
each year, including a school-based satellite program in a low-income neighborhood
Program Director, Family Focus, Inc.
(Chicago, IL; July 1990-December 1991)
- Provided supervision, staff development, technical assistance to family support centers in
six Chicago communities
- Contributed to the development of grant proposals and new program initiatives
Director, Lincoln Park Child Care Center
(Chicago, IL; April 1985-June 1990)
- Transformed a half-day preschool into a full-service, year-round day care center
- Expanded from two to four classrooms, doubled enrollment, extended services to 2-year-olds, developed afterschool program for 5-8 year olds