A fellowship with The Heart of America Foundation in Washington, DC proved pivotal in my life’s work. Working with teachers and students at impoverished schools in our nation’s capital motivated me to further my education to have a larger impact.

 

I began my career as a research scientist with a children’s early literacy program, focusing on the early cognitive and socioemotional development of children from low-income families with an emphasis on the aspects of development that are important for school readiness and academic achievement. This research has been recognized by the Academic Pediatric Association’s Young Investigator Award, the Goldman Developmental Research Award, and the O. Ruth McQuown Women in Science Award.

Later, I moved into an applied application of my research after accepting the position of Vice President of Operations for a system of privately owned preschools. During this time, I most enjoyed providing leadership, training, and coaching to teachers and directors so they could deliver the highest quality early learning experiences. Recently, I was honored to be recognized for my leadership skills with the Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders Award.

Through my time in the trenches running high-quality programs, I often found the need for professional support — not just for myself, but my staff, too. That’s where the idea of Impact Early Education was birthed, and the name is quite literal in my motivations!

As the founder and CEO of Impact Early Education, it’s my goal to create change and impact early education from top to bottom, not just in the care teachers provide, but in the way they think and feel about their jobs, the way the world views the role of an early educator, and the way directors and owners lead and operate their centers.

 

It’s through these aspects that the moving parts can come together with excellence and work like a well-oiled machine to produce the exceptional learning centers children, teachers, and directors deserve.