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Cincinnati, Ohio • June 27
Early Childhood Focus | 10 am - 1 pm
Maternal and Infant Health Focus | 2 pm - 4 pm
United Way of Greater Cincinnati
2400 Reading Road • Cincinnati, OH 45202
Event Agenda & Details
Early Childhood Focus
9:30 am: Registration
Take part in our data engagement activity before the formal program begins.
10:00 am: Welcome and Introductions
Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio
Moira Weir, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Cincinnati
10:35 am: Early Learning Panel
Moderated by Vanessa Freytag, President and CEO, 4C for Children, panelists include:
• Garri Davis, CEO, Water Lily Learning Center; Founder and CEO, Garri Davis Agency
• Terri England, President, A Circle of Friends
• Liz Keating, VP of Government Affairs, Cincinnati Regional Chamber
• Chanta Walker, Policy Council Chairperson, Hamilton County Community Action
12:15 pm: Lunch Discussion
12:55 pm: Conclusion and Wrap-Up
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Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio
As the President of Groundwork Ohio, Lynanne Gutierrez is at the forefront of our statewide mission, spearheading a powerful early childhood movement. As a dedicated child advocate, Lynanne oversees the development and implementation of Groundwork’s policy agenda and shapes priorities and strategies through effective communication, advocacy, research, and data analysis.
A pivotal figure in Groundwork's strategic growth and transformation over the past seven years, Lynanne played a crucial role in expanding the organization's Statehouse footprint, relationships, and reputation across the state. Additionally, her efforts were instrumental in the successful transition to a standalone 501c3 in 2021.
Recognized as a respected early childhood expert in Ohio and nationwide, Lynanne is frequently sought out to address diverse audiences on early childhood policy advocacy. Appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, she has served as a member since 2019.
Lynanne's professional journey includes prior roles in advocacy and private law practice focused on children and families. Before becoming a licensed attorney, she served as a Senior Legislative Aide in the Ohio Senate. A distinguished alumna of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Capital Law School, Lynanne is also a 2023 graduate of the prestigious Leadership Ohio program.
Lynanne, a resident of Columbus, Ohio, shares life with her husband Anthony and their two young children. She is an avid reader and amateur quilter.
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Moira Weir, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Cincinnati
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Vanessa Freytag, President and CEO, 4C for Children
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Garri Davis, CEO, Water Lily Learning Center; Founder and CEO, Garri Davis Agency
Garri Davis is a powerhouse entrepreneur and electrifying speaker from Cincinnati, Ohio. Armed with a degree in Financial Management from Cincinnati State and further credentials in Organizational Management from Wilberforce University and Wesleyan University, in 2012, she launched the Water Lily Learning Center, which she now leads as CEO of this Gold Level childcare organization. Garri is also the driving force behind the Garri Davis Agency, where she executes top-notch business development and leadership advice as well as coaching and Ohio-approved training.
Garri's not just about building her empire; she's all about lifting others up too. She's a go-to transformational strategic coach for childcare professionals, and her expertise earned her the prestigious June Sciarra Early Childhood Leadership Award in 2023.
Garri is also an international bestselling author, with "CEO In Stilettos" and contributing author to another international best-seller “Becoming Dynamic. In addition, she holds leadership positions as the Board Chair for Dress for Success and Portulaca and is a Board Secretary for the African American Chamber of Commerce. She also serves on the Cost of Quality Committee for Preschool Promise and is a Board Member of OAEYC.
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Terri England, President, A Circle of Friends
Terri C. England is married to Joseph England, and has two sons and five grandchildren. She is very active in her church, The Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Avondale, the Evanston Community Council, and volunteers in community service projects.
Terri has been the President/Administrator of New Horizons Business Inc., dba New Horizons Child Care Center for 40 years, (before her retirement in November 2020); the center serves 102 children from seven communities in the Cincinnati area, and is located in the neighborhood of Evanston, with a 5 Star Quality Rating; she has recently extended her endeavors to The England Project LLC dba “A Circle of Friends”, Afterschool Initiative to support afterschool programs in schools for underserved youth. Terri serves as an “expert witness” whenever there is a case of abuse or the demise of a child while in the care of a childcare provider, as her services are requested for the defense or prosecution; also she is a Professional Development Specialist for the Council for Professional Recognition (Washington, D.C.) where she observes and assesses CDA candidates.
Terri sits on the board of the Cincinnati Preschool Promise, Promise Forward and 4C for Children. She has recently received the Unsung Heroine Award from the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Epsilon Lambda Sigma Chapter; the Keeping the Faith Award from the Saving Grace Community Church. Terri has recently received recognition for the Evanston Honorees Gala (2020) and was inducted into the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky African-American Chamber of Commerce Black Business Hall of Fame (August 2020).
Terri will continue to advocate for best practices and high-quality in early childhood education and child care “because it continues to remind us of the importance of our work and the role that early childhood education plays in society”.
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Liz Keating, VP of Government Affairs, Cincinnati Regional Chamber
Liz Keating is the VP of Government Affairs & Advocacy for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber where she will build coalitions to help advocate for more investment and growth throughout our region. Liz previously served on Cincinnati City Council where she was a proponent for housing, fiscal discipline, childcare, public safety, and innovation in government. Liz also served as Marketing Director for The Jim Stengel Company, a consultancy and think tank, and the team behind The CMO Podcast. Liz has a degree in Political Science – International Relations from UCLA, where she competed on the swim team and served as team captain.
Liz has also served her hometown of Cincinnati in numerous roles, including as a board member of OKI Regional Council of Governments, Talbert House, Downtown Cincinnati Improvement District, UC Lindner College of Business Advisory Board, Honor Flight Tri-State and Cincinnati Para-Swim Open.
Liz is a graduate of Leadership Cincinnati and FBI Citizens Academy. She was honored as a 2016 Business Courier Forty Under 40 and the 2023 Senators Taft & Schuler Elected Official of the Year. Liz and her husband Jonathan Bennie live in Cincinnati with their two young kids and pet fish – Princess Sparkle and Donut Donut Apple Juice Apple Juice.
Chanta Walker, Policy Council Chairperson, Hamilton County Community Action
Chanta Walker is a dedicated Child & Family Advocate, Life Coach, and Mindset Coach based in Cincinnati. She holds a Baccalaureate degree from the University of Cincinnati Nursing program and has 15 years of experience as a registered nurse. In 2020, she founded Reinventing Yourself Coaching, LLC, marking the start of her entrepreneurial journey.
Chanta’s advocacy and coaching career began with her role as chairperson for the parent committee at Cincinnati Public Schools Rising Star Cheviot/Westwood Head Start, eventually leading her to chair the CPS Head Start Policy Committee overseeing their Head Start program. She has since taken on various leadership roles, including Community Action Agency Policy Council Chair for two consecutive years, Ohio Parent Advocacy Network Alumni, and member of the Ohio State Family Engagement Advisory Council. She also serves as the Parent Representative on the Ohio Head Start Association Board of Directors and the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency Board of Directors. Through her advocacy, she participated in Zero to Three's Strolling Thunder, where she traveled to Washington, D.C., to speak with legislators about the importance of childcare and Head Start programs for Ohio families. She has also been interviewed twice on WKRC about her advocacy roles pertaining to families in Ohio.
Through her company, Chanta aims to enhance parental representation by increasing family involvement, engagement, and communication within the community and school system, breaking communication barriers between parents and teachers/administrators. Her coaching focuses on helping individuals prioritize their lives, achieve their goals, and discover their purpose. Chanta's passion lies in creating a supportive environment where individuals can express their deepest concerns and aspirations, ultimately guiding them towards reaching their fullest potential.
Maternal and Infant Health Focus
2:00 pm: Registration
Take part in our data engagement activity before the formal program begins.
2:30 pm: Welcome and Introductions
Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio
2:50 pm: Maternal and Infant Health Systems
Moderated by Kiana Trabue, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Chief Program Officer, bi3, panelists include:
• Jennifer Frey, President & CEO, Every Child Succeeds / Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s & University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• Charla Hale, President and CEO, Healthy Moms and Babes
• Amy King, Senior Community Engagement Specialist, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
• Meredith Shockley Smith, Executive Director, Cradle Cincinnati / Field Service Assistant Professor-AFF, UCMC / Founder, Queens Village
• Tiffany White, Health Programs Manager, Healthy Communities Program, Cincinnati Health Department
4:00 pm: Closing and Wrap-Up
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Lynanne Gutierrez, President, Groundwork Ohio
As the President of Groundwork Ohio, Lynanne Gutierrez is at the forefront of our statewide mission, spearheading a powerful early childhood movement. As a dedicated child advocate, Lynanne oversees the development and implementation of Groundwork’s policy agenda and shapes priorities and strategies through effective communication, advocacy, research, and data analysis.
A pivotal figure in Groundwork's strategic growth and transformation over the past seven years, Lynanne played a crucial role in expanding the organization's Statehouse footprint, relationships, and reputation across the state. Additionally, her efforts were instrumental in the successful transition to a standalone 501c3 in 2021.
Recognized as a respected early childhood expert in Ohio and nationwide, Lynanne is frequently sought out to address diverse audiences on early childhood policy advocacy. Appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, she has served as a member since 2019.
Lynanne's professional journey includes prior roles in advocacy and private law practice focused on children and families. Before becoming a licensed attorney, she served as a Senior Legislative Aide in the Ohio Senate. A distinguished alumna of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Capital Law School, Lynanne is also a 2023 graduate of the prestigious Leadership Ohio program.
Lynanne, a resident of Columbus, Ohio, shares life with her husband Anthony and their two young children. She is an avid reader and amateur quilter.
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Kiana Trabue, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Chief Program Officer, bi3
Kiana R. Trabue, MPH, currently serves as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Chief Program Officer for the bi3 Fund, which promotes racial and health equity and also drives innovation through grantmaking. In this role, Kiana uses a deeply collaborative and equity-centered approach to cultivate trust-based strategic partnerships and co-design innovative initiatives to achieve bi3’s vision of ensuring that all people in Greater Cincinnati achieve the best health.
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Amy King, Senior Community Engagement Specialist, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Amy King is a Senior Community Engagement Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in the Michael Fisher Child Health Equity Center. She leads three early childhood teams focusing on a community-wide approach to preventing early childhood developmental delays and social-emotional concerns, connecting children and families to high-quality early childhood programs and eliminating barriers to enrollment, and connecting children and families to intervention supports and programs when developmental concerns arise. She brings over 20 years of experience in the early childhood field including work in early care and education, Head Start and Early Head Start, disabilities, mental health, family engagement, and continuous quality improvement.
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Tiffany White, Health Programs Manager, Healthy Communities Program, Cincinnati Health Department
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Charla Hale, President and CEO, Healthy Moms and Babes
Charla Hale, M.A. is the current President and CEO of Healthy Moms and Babes. An alum of Xavier University, Charla's education was the foundation for her commitment to creating systemic change through policy implementation and advocacy.
A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Charla is dedicated to seeing local families provided with the highest level of service and support. Personally, and professionally, Charla has deepened her passion for advocating for policies and community support to reduce the impact of infant mortality on Black and Latino families. Her own motherhood story is a testament to this passion and an example of how support and empowerment can make a radical difference in birth outcomes.
Charla has always been committed to service, a value she holds dear. She currently serves on numerous local non-profit and faith-based organization boards, is an active volunteer at her local church. Charla is also a dynamic training facilitator and public speaker, having presented and trained at numerous national conferences and events.
Charla’s commitment to her work is contagious and her enthusiasm galvanizes community members to collaborate and support the mission she loves. Charla’s mission is to “Leave the world better than I found it” an overt commitment to the next generation, which she strives to do matter where she is.
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Jennifer Frey, President & CEO, Every Child Succeeds / Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s & University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
I am the President of Every Child Succeeds (ECS), a comprehensive prenatal to age three home visiting program designed to optimize maternal and child health and development.
Prior to my role at ECS, I was a Dunn Family Scholar of Psychological and Educational Assessment at Vanderbilt University and an associate professor of special education and disability studies at The George Washington University. My identities as a researcher, clinician and teacher are inextricably linked. What drives me in science — curiosity, the excitement of discovery and the desire to help others — also inspires my passion for directly working with young children and families and supporting others to do so.
The overarching goal of my research is to improve long-term language and social outcomes for young children with or at the most risk for developmental differences through innovative early intervention. I seek to understand factors that influence early social communication development and identify predictors of response to intervention in order to adapt interventions to meet the unique needs of individual children and their families. I wish to support parents and educators in creating optimal learning environments and developing relationships known to enhance overall well-being and development through leveraging and better coordinating expertise across health and education sectors.
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Meredith Shockley Smith, Executive Director, Cradle Cincinnati / Field Service Assistant Professor-AFF, UCMC / Founder, Queens Village
Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith, Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati and Assistant Field Professor at the University of Cincinnati Medical School is the founding director of Queens Village and a former professor of Black Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith applies her passion for Black Studies and Women & Gender Studies beyond the classroom in efforts to build stronger, more equitable relationships to benefit the greater community. Meredith received her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in Educational Studies and was formerly the Director of Womens and Black Studies at Northern Kentucky University. As Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati, she seeks to bring together partners, community, and medical professionals to co-create sustainable solutions that increase equity, lift Black women’s leadership, and lower infant mortality and disparities across Cincinnati.
Dr. Smith's dedication to service goes beyond her professional roles. She served as the honorary chair of the 2023 Dress for Success Fashion Show and is a valued member of several boards, including the National Board of Directors for Public Allies and Greenlight Fund.
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We want to hear from you. Policymakers need to hear about your expertise and challenges. Help inform early childhood policy and take our brief survey today.(https://secure.everyaction.com/FdIy59v9lUG4QJDU7FbilA2)
Download our roadshow factsheet (https://5880718d-c320-42e3-a037-25fa66c0bbc0.usrfiles.com/ugd/d114b9_1cf92661cf0845769d13e1a15cae5ca6.pdf)to learn more about our policy process.
Use county-specific data to help with your advocacy outreach.
• Hamilton County Factsheet(https://d114b999-71e8-45e2-be5a-0aaa99997a3b.usrfiles.com/ugd/d114b9_406361567bb64bd389f153804fcecb6f.pdf)
Request another county-specific data source by contacting us. (mailto:bthomas@groundworkohio.org)
United Way of Greater Cincinnati
2400 Reading Road • Cincinnati, OH 45202
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🚗 [Take a photo/selfie at the event] I’m with @GroundworkOhio on their 2024 Roadshow Listening Tour in #Cincinnati. We’re ready to make our #BIGVOICE heard by the state’s policymakers! #GOListeningTour
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