Early Childhood Fellowship Spotlight: Garret Thompson

This spotlight features Garret Thompson, a Miami County parent, advocate, and Groundwork Ohio 2026 Early Childhood Family Fellow, and Family Action Network member, whose leadership is rooted in lived experience. As a single, involved father, he brings a powerful and often underrepresented perspective to early childhood advocacy—one shaped by navigating systems, advocating for his son, and working to ensure families have the support they need to thrive.

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

A. I live in Troy, OH and work third shift as department coordinator and secondary supervisor for Clopay. I am managing time for efficient production, accounting imports and exports and ensuring quality safety checks.

As a parent advocate, I collaborate with local, state, and national organizations to elevate family voices and advance policies that support children and families, including Council on Rural Services (CORS) Policy Council, Ohio Parent Advocacy Network (OPAN), Ohio Head Start Association, Inc (OHSAI), National Head Start Association (NHSA), United Parent Leaders Action Network (UPLAN), National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE), and Groundwork Ohio Family Action Network.

All of these organizations work with parents and families, advocating for their rights as educators, the rights of children to receive the best opportunities and for their communities to better themselves with the barriers that are prevalent to them. In these organizations I mentor new members, discuss and vote for policies and improvement and continue to nurture and develop my own leadership skills.

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

A. This fellowship naturally seems like the next step in my personal and professional growth, and my desire to see real change. Not only is this be a great learning opportunity, but I feel I bring a different perspective to the table.

As a single, involved father, I have personally experienced many of the roadblocks our society, government, and local policies create for men.

This fellowship is also a wonderful networking opportunity— to be able to come together with other like-minded individuals and put us in a new position to use our voices for advocacy.

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

A. I would like to take my early childhood advocacy to the next level professionally, and make a career out of my passion. While I have had wonderful guidance in developing and sharing my story, I look forward to sharpening my public speaking skills. Not only will I learn more about myself in this fellowship and “my why” for advocacy, I will also learn from others, hearing their stories and seeing their perspectives. I want to be able to share their stories respectfully and believe bettering my skills will allow that.

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

A. As an Ohio Head Start Association, Inc (OHSAI) board member and Ohio Parent Advocacy Network (OPAN) member, I became more involved with advocacy. A fellow member of OPAN shared her experience with Groundwork Ohio and inspired me to get involved, knowing I could bring something different to the table. The partnership OHSAI has with Groundwork Ohio, and the encouragement of the team, gave me interest in becoming more involved.

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

A. As a parent/caregiver, we often do not know how to advocate for our children. My son had an IEP and as his father, I did not know how to fill out the paperwork or go about getting him the best services. It was thrown at me without much explanation or guidance on what to do next. I just wanted to help my son the best I could but with no experience, I felt lost. If it wasn’t for Head Start, who guided me through the process, I am not sure how things would have turned out. If a child is attending a center or school where there are no designated family advocates to help parents with this process, they may not be aware of all the services available and all the help you can get for your child.

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

A. Ohio single fathers do not have the same rights and resources as single mothers. A father, in the state of Ohio, that wants to be involved with their child must go through court to have custody rights. If not, then they cannot make important decisions for their child's health or well-being, or even know what school they attend without the mother’s permission.

I am all for the programs that help mothers and their children, but in my experience, it has been a lot harder for a father to get the same help. I had a good job and the opportunity to find a good lawyer to help me obtain rights for my son. Without my lawyer and the staff, I would not be where I am today.

On a local level, I want to create a supportive father group. This group would educate fathers on ways to become involved with their children. Many men do not know where to start when it comes to their rights, custody agreements, and even communication with their child’s school. I want to empower those that truly desire to step up with the skills to do so. Eventually, I would like to see policies on a state level change when it comes to father’s rights.

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

A. I think it is important for Ohio’s children and families to be able to get the education and services they need to be successful, regardless of their economic status. Success is all about opportunities given and unfortunately, they are not all presented equally.

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

A. First, I want to use my voice to encourage others to use their voice. Our voice matters and our stories deserve to be told.

Second, there are not many other single fathers who have had the same opportunities that I have had to speak on issues that affect involved fatherhood. I want to impact policy changes for the equality of fathers’ and mothers’ rights, and I strive to mentor young fathers who are going through similar struggles I have gone through.

Lastly, in today’s world, showing any vulnerability is weakness and we aren’t “supposed” to show weakness. Being a leader just starts with leading by example, continuing to tell my story, and standing up for what I believe in.