Early Childhood Fellowship Spotlight: Denise Zellers

As an Early Literacy Specialist Librarian, Early Childhood Leadership Fellow Denise Zellers works every day to support families and young children on their reading journeys. In this spotlight, she shares how her experience in early literacy and family engagement is shaping her advocacy for expanded access to early education and stronger systems that support Ohio’s youngest children.

Q. Tell us about yourself and your current professional role. What kind of work do you do, and who do you serve?

A. I am an Early Literacy Specialist Librarian with the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. As a member of our Ready to Read team, I provide free trainings and tools to parents and caregivers of children from birth through third grade to help them support their young children on their reading journeys—from developing foundational early literacy skills to supporting readers in early elementary years. We also go out into our community to meet families where they are, provide them with free literacy materials, and help them connect with various library resources.

Q. What made you want to apply for the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship?

A. Most of my career in early childhood has been focused on working directly with families on a one-on-one basis. I love these connections and firmly believe in the value of the work, so I wanted to take a more active role in supporting families of young children on a broader scale as well. I want to help address the challenges faced by families in our state on a systematic level, and to increase my skills as an advocate.

 Q. What are you most excited to learn, gain, or take away from the Fellowship experience?

A. I am excited about the work Groundwork Ohio is doing and see tremendous value in the gathering of an interdisciplinary cohort of early childhood professionals with varying backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to learn and work together to bring about change. Making connections with others in our field across the state can be very powerful for the work we will all be doing moving forward. I was also excited about the speakers we will have heard from throughout this experience, and getting the opportunity to attend the Momentum Institute and speak with policymakers. 

Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio?

A. I attended Groundwork Ohio’s 2025 Early Childhood Data Dashboard webinar and was inspired to look into ways I could do more and do better. 

Q. What’s one issue or challenge in the early childhood system that you’re passionate about addressing?

A. I am passionate about supporting and expanding early education opportunities for young children in their homes, in child care centers, and through increased access to pre-kindergarten programs.

Q. How does your lived experience shape the way you lead or advocate for young children and families?

A. I was inspired to work with families of young children many years ago when my nephew began receiving Early Intervention services and I saw first hand the impact of supporting children and families in the early years. I quit my job and went back to school so I could join this field. In my work as an Early Intervention Developmental Specialist, I had the honor of working with a wonderfully diverse group of families in Northwest Ohio as they tackled the many challenges of raising young children and navigating support systems. I have also witnessed countless examples of the plasticity of young brains and of how providing appropriate supports for a strong start sets both the child and family up for future successes.  

Q. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child?

A. Making Ohio the best place to be a young child would lay foundations for gains not only for the children themselves but also for their families and our state as a whole. When we support young children and their families, the results impact the child’s future health, education and social emotional development, strongly impacting who they will be as adults, but it does not stop there. The way we care for and support young children also impacts their parents’ ability to work, grow and contribute to our communities. When children are safe, healthy and provided with great learning opportunities we all win.

Q. How do you hope to use your voice as a leader in this space—now and in the future?

A. I hope to use my voice to share information with families which they can apply in their daily lives, and to inform and impact policymakers so we truly can make Ohio a great place to be a young child. My work at the library focuses heavily on making information and opportunity more accessible to all. I believe participating in this fellowship will help me do that more successfully and approach the reduction of barriers on both an individual case basis and on a more community-wide and system-wide basis.

The networking opportunity of this Fellowship will help me build professional connections and be more in touch with strategies and programing other professionals are undertaking, and the successes and challenges of those undertakings, which can help me improve our local services as well.