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Groundwork Announces First Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Cohort of 2020


This past weekend, Groundwork hosted its first Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship session for the Fellowship's 2020 Cohort. The Fellowship was designed to provide early education and health professionals from across the state with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, engage with thought-leaders and policymakers to advance quality early learning and health, and take steps to create state-, local-, and community-level change for young children in Ohio. Fellows engage in a hybrid curriculum designed to build upon leadership and communications skills, expand knowledge around the landscape of Ohio’s early childhood systems, and empower participants to take on leadership roles in their communities and the early education and health professions across the state. By the end of the year, Fellows will have gained the knowledge and tools needed to enhance their capacity to influence healthy development and early learning policies that will improve outcomes for Ohio’s youngest children and their families.

We are excited to announce the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Cohort of 2020:

  • Elizabeth Abbott, Bombeck Family Learning Center

  • Krista Allison, Stark Education Partnership, Inc.

  • Sadie Bonifas, The Great Oaks Career Campus

  • Mary Brady, Early Childhood Resource Center

  • Tonya Byous, The Centers for Families and Children

  • Jennifer Cheeks, Mom2B-Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

  • Casandra Chermer, Ohio State University Virtual Lab School

  • Heather Conkle, Child Care Resources

  • Scott Dieter, Lorain City Schools

  • Bridgette Forson, Action For Children

  • Jarissa Garcia, Little Hands, Inc.

  • Stephanie Geneseo, All Nestled Inn Family Childcare

  • Nicole Gordon, Child Focus

  • Camille Harris, All 4 Kids, LLC

  • Malissa Harris, Little Miracles EDC

  • Elizabeth Hibbs, Early Childhood Education Alliance

  • Kimberly Hiltz, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Inc.

  • Kelly Kaiser, Baby University

  • Rebecca Keaton, COAD

  • Helen Mattheis, Cincinnati Early Learning Centers

  • Rebecca Mental, Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center

  • Navya Nalla, Nationwide Children's Hospital- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Ross "Chad" Nunamaker, The Lynda A. Cohen Center for the Study of Child Development

  • Stefanie Post, Warren County Educational Service Center

  • Emily Rozmus, INFOhio

  • Beth Rutter, Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities

  • Leslie Schreiber, Small Wonders Discovery & Learning Center

  • Ashley Scott, Home-Based Child Care Owner

  • Elizabeth Styles, Winton Woods City Schools

  • Qianna Tidmore, Office of Early Childhood/Invest in Children

  • Shannon Viccarone, Starting Point

  • Lynecia White, Rogers Intergenerational Daycare

  • Aysha Wilburn, The Centers for Families and Children

  • Molly Youngstrom Hagkull, The Childhood League Center

Congratulations to all of our Fellows! We are excited to be a part of and support you during your journey to become a champion for young children, families, and the early childhood profession in Ohio.


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