Celebrating New Leaders for Ohio’s Young Children

When Ohio’s young children have strong advocates, families, communities, and our state are stronger. On Saturday, August 8, Groundwork Ohio proudly celebrated the graduation of these 15 professionals from the 2025–2026 Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship cohort:

·       Kristen Bortle

·       Chelsea Davis

·       Shashi DeHaan

·       Emeri Ferguson

·       Monica Gaulden

·       Emma Ginther

·       Megan Hamilton

·       Stephanie Moore

·       Julia Myers

·       Ellen Rhomberg

·       Linda Rowlet

·       Carrie Taylor

·       Garret Thompson

·       Marisol Torres

·       Denise Zellers

These fellows join Groundwork Ohio's growing network of early childhood advocates equipped to elevate the experiences of children and families, build relationships across sectors, and connect their expertise to policy agendas. Their graduation marks more than the completion of a program—it is an investment in a stronger future for Ohio’s youngest children.

A Fellowship Built for Impact

The Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship brings together professionals from diverse roles across the early childhood field for a unique, interactive learning experience. Through keynote speakers, online trainings, policy discussions, networking, and capstone projects, fellows build the skills and confidence to advocate effectively for themselves, their communities, and the young children and families they serve.

Throughout the fellowship, the class of 2026 strengthened their ability to:

• Understand how public policy affects young children, families, and the workforce.

• Share their professional and lived expertise with policymakers.

• Build relationships with advocates and community partners.

• Collaborate across sectors to develop innovative solutions.

• Use their collective voice to make early childhood a priority in Ohio.

  
  

The quality of this program lives in its connection between learning and action. Fellows do not simply study policy or learn how to craft an elevator pitch—they gain opportunities to engage with leaders, learn from one another, and develop the skills needed to turn their knowledge into meaningful advocacy.

Honoring Commitment and the Class of 2026

This year’s graduation program brought together fellows, partners, and early childhood advocates to recognize the cohort and the leadership they will carry forward.

Groundwork Ohio Director of Programming and Impact, Jacob Oates, welcomed guests, celebrated the commitment of the graduating cohort, and guided the day’s recognition of the fellows’ accomplishments. Groundwork Ohio President and CEO Lynanne Gutierrez gave opening remarks, encouraging fellows to continue moving “on and on” in the pursuit of policy change. She connected Groundwork Ohio's focus on a child’s earliest development from prenatal to age 5 and the importance of a connected statewide network working together for change

Guest speakers included leaders whose work demonstrates the importance of informed, cross-sector advocacy:

• As a physician and policymaker, Representative Anita Somani (D-Dublin) added valuable perspective on the the importance of bipartisan policies and supports that help young children have strong starts and live healthy lives.

• Dr. Wendy Grove, Ohio Department of Children and Youth Senior Advisor for Research, Evaluation, and Impact provided a depth of experience across early learning, home visiting, early intervention, and early childhood systems and encouraged all advocates to speak up for the children that can’t speak for themselves.

• Tasha Booker, Action for Children CEO, offered reflections on community partner impact and the value of collaboration in improving access to quality early care, education, and family support.

  
  

Following remarks, fellows presented capstone projects and leadership stories, demonstrating how the program’s learning can translate into ideas and action that benefit and support children and families.

A Growing Collective Voice

Groundwork Ohio believes that strong systems and informed policies create lasting change for young children and their families. As a nonpartisan advocacy organization, we work alongside parents, providers, community partners, and supporters to elevate effective policy solutions and ensure young children remain a priority in every conversation. As Dr. Wendy Grove explained, as advocates for early childhood, we are all invited to have a seat at the table—the children’s table, so that we can learn from them and invite other advocates to the discussion.

The 2025–2026 graduates of the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship now add their voices, professional expertise, and community connections to that discussion. They represent a wide-ranging early childhood field—and a shared commitment to helping Ohio become the best place to be a young child.

Their leadership will matter in classrooms, child care programs, home-visiting settings, health systems, community organizations, and conversations with policymakers. When the people closest to young children and families are prepared to advocate at the highest level, Ohio is better positioned to make decisions rooted in the realities families face and the opportunities children need.

To learn more about the fellowship and future opportunities to participate, visit Groundwork Ohio’s Fellowship page. You can also subscribe to Groundwork Ohio updates, share this celebration with your network, and add your support to the movement for policies that give every Ohio child a strong start.

Click on the arrow at the right of each photo to see and celebrate the Class of 2026!

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