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By: Savannah DiMarco
This month, the Council for Professional Recognition is delighted to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month! We are grateful for the Hispanic/Latinx individuals who comprise 24.6% of child care educators and 14.9% of preschool and kindergarten teachers nationwide, and we join the chorus of voices within our community to celebrate the Hispanic/Latinx educators and influencers who have pioneered key advancements in our field.
To commemorate our Hispanic/Latinx community’s invaluable contributions to the field, we have invited Hispanic/Latinx ECE champions to reflect on the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month. Hear the stories of those who have gone before and those trailblazing progress in early education and growth of the CDA® credential today.
Below, our featured partners at Head Start, NAEYC, and RCMA— Maria Fatima Castro, Jorge Saenz De Viteri, Luis Hernandez, and Isabel Garcia— offer special words of gratitude for the Hispanic/Latinx community.
Nydia M. Velázquez
Nydia M. Velázquez is the first Puerto Rican woman elected to serve in the United States Congress. She is passionate about early childhood educational equity, and has emerged as an outspoken advocate for Head Start. “No parent should lose sleep worrying that their child will miss out on a safe and nurturing early childhood education,” she said in 2018. “The work of Head Start is instrumental in shaping the next generation of leaders. In a climate of threatened budget cuts, I will remain a steadfast champion of the Head Start program.”
Isabel Garcia
Isabel Garcia is the Executive Director of the RCMA, a migrant organization that purposes to “make the dreams of children in migrant farm working and low-income families our focus.”
A special note from Isabel Garcia:
“Together with the teachers I supervised, I first obtained my CDA when I was a center coordinator in Bowling Green. The most satisfying aspect of being a Latina leader and role model at that time, for that group, was knowing that we were all former farm workers. The accomplishment may have seemed small for others, but for us, to become recognized Latina professionals, it meant the world. For years after initial credentialing, each renewal of my greatest accomplishment was exciting. Today at RCMA, helping our staff obtain their national credentials is still a priority. For an organization as large as RCMA that serves predominantly Hispanic children and is made up of predominantly Hispanic staff, the CDA helps thousands of children and adults succeed!”
Luis Hernandez
Luis Hernandez is the founder of the NAEYC Latino Caucus, and has worked on behalf of the early childhood Latinx community for over 35 years. He is an advocate for the CDA credential and an active member of the CDA community as an early childhood education specialist.
A special note from Luis Hernandez:
“It is that time of the year when we celebrate all things Hispanic. And what better time to highlight individuals across the country and Puerto Rico who have persevered, contributed, and adjusted during this health crisis and pandemic.
Loud cheers to the thousands of Latina women in ECE who continued to provide care to the children of essential workers. Special recognition to the many Latina home-based providers, social workers, infant/toddler specialists and many others who continued to work virtually by making regular contact with Latino families isolated by the pandemic. And let’s not overlook those who work with migrant families – the people who harvest the fresh food we consume daily. Their professionalism has provided a cultural link of care, concern, and connection. Not to be forgotten, the many other Latinos/as who have volunteered in food banks, who continually advocate for housing and employment rights, as proactive neighbors and citizens.
As difficult as this year has been, the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month highlights the unrecognized strengths of language and culture that shape individuals to be active participants for the common good of the nation. Along with this special recognition, an extra note of gratitude to all ECE professionals who have guaranteed the safety and well being of children and families under their care. This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration will truly be unforgettable!”
Sylvia Mendez
Image: NPR Illinois
Sylvia Mendez’s courage led to the 1946 integration of California public schools, nearly a decade before the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision mandating school integration. Prior to the 1946 legislation, 8-year-old Sylvia Mendez was not permitted to attend an “all-white” school in Orange County, CA. Her family’s bravery to contest segregation policy has been part of the critical movement toward racial equity that young students benefit from today.
Maria Fatima Castro
Maria Fatima Castro is the Director of Central California Migrant Head Start Santa Cruz. In addition to her work with Head Start, Castro also teaches undergraduate-level courses in early childhood education.
A special note from Maria Fatima Castro:
“In Santa Cruz County, California we work with over 70 excellent family child care providers. Through the CDA process, our Latina providers learn to create safe, healthy and nurturing child care for the over 500 children of our local farmworkers. The CDA credential has supported our Head Start programs over the past 20 years. Without the CDA, it would be impossible for many providers to qualify to work with Head Start. Many of our providers have continued their education to obtain teacher permits and college degrees—the CDA was the crucial first step!”
Jorge Saenz De Viteri
Jorge Saenz De Viteri, MSEd provides guidance to staff in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as the Regional Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Region II Coordinator for the Office of Head Start/ACF. Jorge is co-facilitator for the NAEYC Latino Interest Caucus, a founding member of the Latino Coalition for Early Care and Education (LCECE) and a member of NAEYC’s Latino Leadership Advisory Group. In addition, Jorge is a member of the New York City Citizen Review Panel for Child Protective Services and has taught graduate-level courses in early childhood education.
A special note from Jorge Saenz De Viteri:
“From September 15th through October 15th, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. This is a special time of the year in which we acknowledge, recognize and celebrate the many contributions that Hispanic/Latinx individuals have made in our lives and in our early childhood profession. As we reflect, please remember our Latinx trailblazers from our communities who led efforts around language, culture, equity and social justice. They set pathways and created opportunities for those of us in the field who hold leadership roles and are emergent leaders in our communities. Let us not forget the investments that each one of them made in our professional careers and most importantly the responsibility bestowed upon us to make a difference in the lives of all children and families, as well as our responsibility to mentor, support and invest in future leaders in our early childhood profession. Our children, families, and Latinx ECE professionals are counting on us!”
Martha Bernadett
Image: Molina Foundation
Martha Bernadett, M.D., MBA, is the President and CEO of the Molina Foundation, a non-profit devoted to improving educational and health equity. Since 2004, the foundation has served thousands of schools, including many preschool programs, and has donated over 5 million children’s books. One of Martha Bernadett’s proudest achievements was creating a bilingual Spanish-English activity book called “On My Way to Kindergarten/En Camino al Kinder, a valuable resource for families the foundation serves.
Rebecca Palacios
Image: US News
Dr. Rebecca A. Palacios is the first Latina to receive the National Teacher Hall of Fame Award, celebrating her 34 years of preschool education in the first district to integrate Latinx and white students. Dr. Palacios is a first generation college graduate who continued her education to earn her doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction, and is a founding member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Learn her insights on preschool education in the September 2020 Atlantic article, “What Makes a Good Preschool Education: Rebecca Palacios on the importance of including parents in their children’s earliest schooling.”
Our community is fortunate to include Hispanic/Latinx educators, politicians, and foundation directors who advocate for the CDA and early childhood education. Thank you for your passion for serving our world’s youngest learners. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
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Savannah DiMarco is the Digital Marketing Manager of the Council for Professional Recognition, which works to ensure that all professional early childhood educators and caregivers meet the developmental, emotional and educational needs of our nation’s youngest children.
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Vice President of Strategic Alliances
Elisa Shepherd is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances at the Council, where she leads initiatives to advance the Council’s mission and strategic plan through designing, managing, and executing a comprehensive stakeholder relationship strategy.
With over 25 years of experience in early childhood education (ECE), Elisa has dedicated her career to developing impactful programs, professional development opportunities, and public policies that support working families, young children, and ECE staff. Before joining the Council, Elisa held numerous roles within the childcare industry. Most recently, she served as Associate Vice President at The Learning Experience and as Senior Manager at KinderCare Education, where she influenced government affairs and public policies across 40 states.
Elisa’s commitment to leadership is reflected in her external roles on the Early Care and Education Consortium Board of Directors, the Florida Chamber Foundation Board of Trustees, and as the DEI Caucus Leader for KinderCare Education. She has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in Early Childhood by Childcare Exchange’s Leadership Initiative.
Elisa earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a focus on child development from Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA.
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
Vice President of People and Culture
Janie Payne is the Vice President of People and Culture for the Council for Professional Recognition. Janie is responsible for envisioning, developing, and executing initiatives that strategically manage talent and culture to align people strategies with the overarching business vision of the Council. Janie is responsible for driving organizational excellence through strategic talent practices, orchestrating workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management as well as a myriad of other Human Resources Programs. She is accountable for driving effectiveness by shaping organizational structure for optimal efficiency. Janie oversees strategies that foster a healthy culture to include embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the organization.
In Janie’s prior role, she was the Vice President of Administration at Equal Justice Works, where she was responsible for leading human resources, financial operations, facilities management, and information technology. She was also accountable for developing and implementing Equal Justice Works Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on attracting diverse, mission-oriented talent and creating an inclusive and equitable workplace environment. With more than fifteen years of private, federal, and not-for-profit experience, Janie is known for her intuitive skill in administration management, human resources management, designing and leading complex system change, diversity and inclusion, and social justice reform efforts.
Before joining Equal Justice Works, Janie was the Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Communities, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of integrated HR and diversity strategies. Her work impacted employees in over twenty-two countries. She was responsible for the effective management of different cultural, legal, regulatory, and economic systems for both domestic and international employees. Prior to Global Communities, Janie enjoyed a ten-year career with the federal government. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, she held key strategic human resources positions with multiple cabinet-level agencies and served as an advisor and senior coach to leaders across the federal sector. In these roles, she received recognition from management, industry publications, peers, and staff for driving the creation and execution of programs that created an engaged and productive workforce.
Janie began her career with Verizon Communications (formerly Bell Atlantic), where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility, where she directed a diversity program that resulted in significant improvement in diversity profile measures. Janie was also a faculty member for the company’s Black Managers Workshop, a training program designed to provide managers of color with the skills needed to overcome barriers to their success that were encountered because of race. She initiated a company-wide effort to establish team-based systems and structures to impact corporate bottom line results which was recognized by the Department of Labor. Janie was one of the first African American women to be featured on the cover of Human Resources Executive magazine.
Janie received her M.A. in Organization Development from American University. She holds numerous professional development certificates in Human Capital Management and Change Management, including a Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resources certificate from Cornell University. She completed the year-long Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program sponsored by The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. She is a trained mediator and Certified Professional Coach. She is a graduate of Leadership America, former board chair of the NTL Institute and currently co-steward of the organization’s social justice community of practice, and a member of The Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Janie is the Board Chairperson for the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council for Prince Georges County where she is active in developing partnerships that facilitate discussion between parents, families, educators, community leaders, and the PG County school administration to enhance services for students with disabilities which is her passion. She and her husband Randolph reside in Fort Washington Maryland.
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