The Early Educators Leadership Conference (EELC) is an opportunity for ECE leaders to network and learn from one another. During EELC 2024, the Council engaged several trailblazers in the field to discuss the importance of high-quality early childhood education and the impact of the Child Development Associate® Credential™. We are proud to share our interview with Dr. Robert Lee, as he discusses how the CDA® and the Council have impacted the ECE professionals and the communities they serve.
Lauren Brooks, Marketing Manager, Loyalty and Retention, Council for Professional Recognition:
Dr. Robert Lee
LB: For our audience, please tell us about your journey and current role in the field of early childhood education.
Dr. Robert Lee: My name is Robert Lee. I’m the Dean of the Sanford College of Education at National University. National University is headquartered in San Diego, although we operate and have programs that are offered across the country. One of the exciting things that happened several years ago was that the National Head Start Association contacted me and said, “You know, we really need to think about a way that we can build a pathway from the CDA to a Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education. Is this something that you’re interested in?” And I said, “Yes, absolutely!” because our students historically have been working adults.
LB: Why were you so keen to include the CDA as part of your ECE program? What is the importance of high quality ECE?
RL: Early childhood education is critical for many reasons. But the development of the child and the child’s brain during those critical first years is extraordinarily important for the building block foundation of the child’s future. As we think about cognitive development, social emotional learning development and ways children learn how to self-regulate, being able to do that with a well-trained educator in the classroom really sets the foundation for lifelong learning.
LB: Who would you encourage to get a CDA ?
RL: I think anybody who’s interested in working with young children, the CDA is your first step. It’s the most recognized and transferable credential in the United States. So, if you’re going to work in an early learning center or a Head Start center, the CDA is that pass, if you will, that gets you in there. And because again, of the rigor of the CDA, people know that when you have that credential, you have the appropriate foundational knowledge, skills and abilities to work with young children.
LB: What do you think is the benefit of having a diverse staff of early childhood educators for children or for staff in general?
RL: Early learning centers with different perspectives and different cultural backgrounds being brought into the classroom, those traditions, those ideas, those mores all being explored together in a supportive classroom environment can add value to any child’s experience and their learning and development. But particularly the teacher is able to branch out and take the rich histories and cultures of their students and bring that into the curriculum so that everyone can learn from that, as well as pushing it out into the community just helps to build connection and foster understanding within the community.
LB: You mention how ECE can make an impact beyond the classroom. Have you seen how high quality ECE has changed people’s lives or even how the CDA has changed people’s lives?
Dr. Lee: High quality early childhood education is a life changer. During the foundational years, birth through 8-years-old, the brain is a sponge. It’s also configuring the synoptic surges and the connections it’s going to make from all the stimuli that is provided. So, as a child’s brain is in that development, it’s critical to present as much information and really engage that child in multiple ways of learning because it really can expand what that child will be capable of doing in the future.
LB: When do you think is the best time to start getting into this field?
Dr. Lee: When thinking about a pathway into early childhood education, there are multiple on ramps. A high school student, for example, who’s thinking about becoming an educator one day can easily become a mentor, a tutor, right at the elementary school that they graduated from. Centers are often looking for educators who come from the same community, because it’s important that young children see others who look like them, who come from similar backgrounds.
LB: The Council is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the CDA and has awarded the CDA to over one million individuals. How do you believe the CDA has positively impacted the ECE field for the past 50 years?
Dr. Lee: Celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the CDA has really set the bar in terms of the foundational expectations of folks who are entering the field and working with children. Having that standard set through the credential really allows for the transferability. We’re living in a much more mobile society. The CDA is transferable because it’s recognized across the country. So, you can pick up that CDA in Maryland, and then in California, show up to an early learning center where that CDA is just as valid in California as it was in Maryland.
LB: Every three years, individuals are encouraged to renew their CDA. What’s the benefit of renewing the CDA even after, for example, you may have earned a bachelor’s or a master’s degree?
Dr. Lee: It’s important to renew your CDA every three years because there’s always room to grow. I like to say that one of the things that we value at National University is lifelong learning. And in many ways, that’s what the CDA exemplifies in the way that it was established and in the way that it’s built. The competencies are based on the principles of lifelong learning and we have to continue to grow as individuals and as professionals. The CDA gives us that opportunity.
LB: I have one last question for you. If you could leave advice or if you could give a message to individuals who want to pursue a career in early childhood education, or want to pursue earning a CDA, what would that message be to them?
Dr. Lee: If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in early learning and you’re thinking about maybe obtaining your CDA as that first step towards working with young children, stay inspired, follow your dreams, stay on track and continue to imagine the possibilities because that’s what it is really. There is so much potential in every child that we work with, but particularly during those early years, the possibilities are only limited by your own imagination.
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Vice President of Strategic Alliances
Elisa Shepherd is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances at the Council, where she leads initiatives to advance the Council’s mission and strategic plan through designing, managing, and executing a comprehensive stakeholder relationship strategy.
With over 25 years of experience in early childhood education (ECE), Elisa has dedicated her career to developing impactful programs, professional development opportunities, and public policies that support working families, young children, and ECE staff. Before joining the Council, Elisa held numerous roles within the childcare industry. Most recently, she served as Associate Vice President at The Learning Experience and as Senior Manager at KinderCare Education, where she influenced government affairs and public policies across 40 states.
Elisa’s commitment to leadership is reflected in her external roles on the Early Care and Education Consortium Board of Directors, the Florida Chamber Foundation Board of Trustees, and as the DEI Caucus Leader for KinderCare Education. She has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in Early Childhood by Childcare Exchange’s Leadership Initiative.
Elisa earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a focus on child development from Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA.
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
Vice President of People and Culture
Janie Payne is the Vice President of People and Culture for the Council for Professional Recognition. Janie is responsible for envisioning, developing, and executing initiatives that strategically manage talent and culture to align people strategies with the overarching business vision of the Council. Janie is responsible for driving organizational excellence through strategic talent practices, orchestrating workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management as well as a myriad of other Human Resources Programs. She is accountable for driving effectiveness by shaping organizational structure for optimal efficiency. Janie oversees strategies that foster a healthy culture to include embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the organization.
In Janie’s prior role, she was the Vice President of Administration at Equal Justice Works, where she was responsible for leading human resources, financial operations, facilities management, and information technology. She was also accountable for developing and implementing Equal Justice Works Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on attracting diverse, mission-oriented talent and creating an inclusive and equitable workplace environment. With more than fifteen years of private, federal, and not-for-profit experience, Janie is known for her intuitive skill in administration management, human resources management, designing and leading complex system change, diversity and inclusion, and social justice reform efforts.
Before joining Equal Justice Works, Janie was the Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Communities, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of integrated HR and diversity strategies. Her work impacted employees in over twenty-two countries. She was responsible for the effective management of different cultural, legal, regulatory, and economic systems for both domestic and international employees. Prior to Global Communities, Janie enjoyed a ten-year career with the federal government. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, she held key strategic human resources positions with multiple cabinet-level agencies and served as an advisor and senior coach to leaders across the federal sector. In these roles, she received recognition from management, industry publications, peers, and staff for driving the creation and execution of programs that created an engaged and productive workforce.
Janie began her career with Verizon Communications (formerly Bell Atlantic), where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility, where she directed a diversity program that resulted in significant improvement in diversity profile measures. Janie was also a faculty member for the company’s Black Managers Workshop, a training program designed to provide managers of color with the skills needed to overcome barriers to their success that were encountered because of race. She initiated a company-wide effort to establish team-based systems and structures to impact corporate bottom line results which was recognized by the Department of Labor. Janie was one of the first African American women to be featured on the cover of Human Resources Executive magazine.
Janie received her M.A. in Organization Development from American University. She holds numerous professional development certificates in Human Capital Management and Change Management, including a Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resources certificate from Cornell University. She completed the year-long Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program sponsored by The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. She is a trained mediator and Certified Professional Coach. She is a graduate of Leadership America, former board chair of the NTL Institute and currently co-steward of the organization’s social justice community of practice, and a member of The Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Janie is the Board Chairperson for the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council for Prince Georges County where she is active in developing partnerships that facilitate discussion between parents, families, educators, community leaders, and the PG County school administration to enhance services for students with disabilities which is her passion. She and her husband Randolph reside in Fort Washington Maryland.
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