PennAEYC

Chapter:  DVAEYC

Professional Position:

Learning and Behavioral Specialist

Creative Beginnings Early Childhood Program

Fox Chase Cancer Center

Rockledge, PA

Professional Goals:

I would like to identify resources and sustain professional relationships that will enable out-of-county families to receive early intervention services for their children.  I would like to create a cadre of affiliate trainers who can work with me to develop and deliver training workshops of significant value, relevance, and impact. 

As a professional, it is always a goal to be consistently generous with my time, interest, and resources—and to value the same commitment in others

Educational Background:

Bachelor's Degree in Magazine Journalism from Drake University in Des Moines, IA

Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA

Graduate coursework in Special Education

AEYC Involvement:

Member of DVAEYC and PennAEYC

Family:

I live in Yardley, PA, and share my life with a small Persian cat named Josie and a circle of family and friends who have graciously allowed me to parent vicariously through them over the years.

Personal interests: 

When I am not working, I enjoy theatre, traveling, reading, collecting children’s literature, and spending time with my niece and nephew.

Why do you do this work? 

I believe the single most important responsibility of an early childhood educator is to generate a love of learning in every child we teach.  Families trust us to build a solid foundation of academic and emotional competence; it is my fervent belief that each of us must find ways to rise to—and exceed—that expectation.  

I am passionate about challenging teachers to reach outside of their comfort zone to find ways to support children of all abilities.  I strive to break down preconceptions about ability and potential by anchoring strategies to developmentally appropriate practice, intentionality, and intuition.  I am fortunate to be in a place in my career that affords me the chance to collaborate with other like-minded professionals whom I consider to be among the brightest, most committed, and most capable individuals in the field of Early Childhood Education. 

Why are you an AEYC member?

I am an AEYC member because I believe professionalism and advocacy are significant factors in the advancement of our field.

Favorite AEYC benefits:

Without a doubt, my favorite AEYC benefits are professional development opportunities, particularly local and national conferences.  From back in the days when the DVAEYC conference was held in DE to the first time I attended a BCAEYC conference and heard Hedda Sharapan speak, I have pursued countless opportunities to satisfy my own love of learning.

Opportunity to Participate in the NAEYC Professional Development Institute

I am delighted to be the recipient of a Building a Lasting Legacy Campaign Conference Scholarship to attend the PDI, Emotional Intelligence: A 21^st Century Skill for Children and Adults, in Phoenix, AZ.  My interest in this PDI is particularly strong because our center has prioritized advancement in program development related to this learning domain.  In my role, I am always interested in new ways to support the needs of adult learners.   I feel strongly that educators must first learn to define, recognize, and understand the importance of emotional competence in their own lives before they can effectively recognize, apply, or teach that skill to young children.  We have made great strides this year by introducing the Preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) Program in our Preschool/Pre-K classrooms.  The success of the PATHS program has left me eager to identify additional professional development opportunities for myself and our staff.