“I’ve put my heart and soul into early childhood education,” Dr. Almodovar says. She fell in love with the field in 1975 while taking classes in psychology and bilingual education at Mercy University in Long Island, New York. It was a time when many people from Spanish-speaking countries were moving to New York City, and Dr. Almodovar found a way to serve their children by taking a part-time job at the Puerto Rican Child Care Center in Harlem. “Commuting between the university and my job was hard,” she says, “but it was worth it because I was learning so much about working with children.”
Dr. Almodovar had the language skills to serve the children because she was born in Ecuador and attended school in Spain during her early years, a time that provided a great deal of enriching change. “My father was an Ecuadorian diplomat, and because of his work, we used to travel all over the world,” she says. “I was exposed to different languages and cultures before my mother decided that my sister and I needed a more stable environment. So, she brought us to live in New York City, where I attended high school. A few years later, I was working at the center in Harlem when I met my husband, Ruben, who’s always been a big champion of my career.”
Ruben continued to support her professional growth after they moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1979. Dr. Almodovar spent three years there as a bilingual teacher for Head Start and still considers this one of the most formative times in her life. “I earned my CDA® while working at that Head Start program,” she says, “and the CDA® Competency Standards are still my bible. My mastery of the standards made me more proficient in the early learning field, and I soon gained a promotion to the position of program director.”
While building her career, Dr. Almodovar had her second child, and his early years also shaped her professional journey. “He was hyperactive,” she recalls, “and had a neurological issue that it took a specialist years to detect.” Along the way, Dr. Almodovar looked for ways to help her son. “The challenges he faced made me start looking deep into brain science and theories of child development, areas in which I maintained a strong interest over the years as I earned my master’s degree in education and PhD in psychology,” Dr. Almodovar says.
She also took on new challenges in her career after moving to Florida, where she held a wide range of roles in the early learning field. She directed early childhood programs for the Salvation Army, Miami International Airport and the YMCA. She spent about 15 years as a director and educational coordinator for Head Start in Miami and served as a CDA instructor for Dade County Public Schools and Miami Dade College.
Many doors had opened for Dr. Almodovar, and she attributes her achievements to earning her CDA. “The CDA gives you a path to a career and higher education. It’s a powerful credential, especially if you receive guidance from a competent trainer or coach who can give you tips on best practices, planning and program management,” as Dr. Almodovar points out. She had benefited from a mentor like this, so she was eager to help other early learning professionals when the Council invited her to become a CDA Professional Development Specialist™, a role she’s filled for more than 30 years.
While working with educators, Dr. Almodovar strives to pass on her belief in the power of education and persistence. “I tell them to set goals and advance your education, so when a window of opportunity opens up, you’re ready to go through it,” she says. “One of the best ways to prepare for the opportunities that are ahead is by earning a CDA, so I support the credential as a member of the CDA Advisory Committee and speak widely about what CDA-trained educators can do for communities nationwide.”
Supporting the CDA is part of Dr. Almodovar’s efforts to advocate for the early childhood profession. She has a particular focus on family child care providers, a part of the field that she feels doesn’t get enough credit. “Nobody was paying much attention to family child care providers until COVID, which pushed them to the forefront because they remained open when most other child care programs closed. The sense of dedication that the providers showed inspired me to become involved with the National Association for Family Child Care and the Florida Family Child Care Home Association, where I serve on the executive board and coordinate the advocacy efforts of 17 chapters across the state.”
And Dr. Almodovar is well prepared to advocate for family child care providers because she has continued to ramp up her advocacy skills as part of her commitment to the family child care sector. “Last year, I accepted an invitation to receive a year of training from the Florida Early Childhood Advocacy Fellowship, and I learned a lot about how to approach lawmakers and other people who make decisions about the early childhood field,” she says. That helped her grow, and she’s used her skills to act as the facilitator for the Family Child Care Professional Leadership Academy, a program run by the National Association for Family Child Care. The program, as she explains, brings together a network of mentors and mentees to cultivate future leaders who can make an impact on the early learning field through nationwide initiatives and projects.
Working with the mentors and mentees has inspired Dr. Almodovar to also start her own nonprofit, The Early Childhood Initiative of America, she says. “It provides resources and tools for educators, especially those from the Latinx community, to get more training, learn about CDA credentialing and advance their professional journey,” she says.
Dr. Almodovar is also continuing her professional journey by serving as the administrator and dean of Universidad Panamericana UPAN/Universidad Internacional in Miami. “I ensure compliance with the requirements for higher education accreditation,” she says, “and am responsible for faculty and staff recruitment, retention, and professional development. For students, I manage recruitment, admissions and academic progress. In addition, I represent the university at meetings, events and community activities to build partnerships and funding for online programs that range from an associate degree to a PhD.”
Higher education like this often begins with the CDA, as Dr. Almodovar knows, so she also continues to help educators earn the credential as a National Head Start Academy coach. “I support CDA candidates in completing the 120 hours coursework,” she says “and help them build a professional portfolio that shows their expertise. The preparation I provide,” she points out, “helps candidates to acquire knowledge and skills that allow them to excel in Head Start classrooms across the country.”
Dr. Almodovar also provides an example for CDA candidates by substituting in a family child care program a couple of times each week. “I change diapers, wipe runny noses, clean up messes, get on the ground and support the lead teacher in all the program’s daily activities and routines,” Dr. Almodovar says. Despite all her degrees and achievements, she keeps a hand in the early childhood classroom and continues to practice the basics of the child care profession. “As an early childhood leader, I feel I have to be a role model,” Dr. Almodovar says, and she’s convinced this requires her to put more than her heart and soul into advancing the field. “How can I be a coach for early childhood classroom teachers,” she laughs, “if I don’t get my hands dirty sometimes?”
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The Council for Professional Recognition is proud to partner with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) on the inaugural Credit for Prior Learning–Early Childhood Education (CPL-ECE) Cohort, an initiative designed to strengthen pathways...
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Why should you renew your CDA? Learn what some of our early childhood professionals had to say. For example, Isabel Blair, a family child care provider in New Mexico, has renewed her CDA for 20...
For years, the search for solutions to early childhood education’s workforce challenges has felt like a treasure hunt. Policymakers follow new clues. Advocates debate new frameworks. System leaders chart new routes forward. Each effort is...
Promoting family health and fitness goes far beyond encouraging children to run, play, and eat their vegetables. It is about creating lifelong habits that support physical, emotional, and social well-being, while honoring the diverse cultural...
Download Your New CDA® Sample Exam Questions Now! The Council for Professional Recognition, the organization that administers the CDA® credential, is excited to share the new CDA® sample exam questions. This free resource uses research,...
Ariana’s mother is the last to pick up two-year-old Ariana from the early care and education program late on Friday afternoon. She hugs Ariana and sighs, “I have reached my limits today with Henry still...
Vice President of Product
Mackenzie Pelland serves as Vice President of Product at the Council. In this role, she oversees the Council’s product strategy and portfolio, including credentialing programs, educational publications, professional development resources, and branded merchandise, ensuring offerings are sustainable and responsive to the evolving needs of early childhood educators and the broader early care and education field. Her work focuses on building scalable, user-centered products that strengthen quality and integrity across the Council’s credentialing, educational, and professional learning offerings.
Prior to this role, Mackenzie served as Director of ECE Observation Systems at the Council, where she oversaw the observation portion of the CDA® credentialing assessment process and led the ECE Observation Team. She also worked to support, refine, and strengthen the Professional Development Specialist community to better meet the needs of a diverse CDA® candidate population.
Before joining the Council, Mackenzie was Senior Director of Monitoring and Compliance Systems at Acelero Learning, where she led the development and execution of monitoring systems related to federal grant compliance, child care licensing, health and safety, incident management, and facilities compliance across Head Start programs nationwide. She also previously served as Program Accountability and Policy Implementation Manager at New York City’s Department of Education within the Division of Early Childhood Education.
Mackenzie is recognized as a credentialing specialist by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. She holds a master’s degree in education policy from Teachers College, Columbia University, a Certificate in Education and Program Evaluation from Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in politics and education from Occidental College.
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 Administrative Officer (CAO)
Janie Payne is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) 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.
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)
Janice brings more than 20 years of experience in accounting and strategic financial management, with an extensive background spanning global associations, nonprofits, and technology organizations. She most recently served as CFO/COO for a global association advancing women in commercial real estate. Prior to that, she was the CFO at Achieving the Dream, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting community college success, and Director of Finance at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Controller for two technology companies.
A Maryland-licensed CPA, Janice is deeply engaged in the profession through her service on the AICPA Governing Council and leadership roles with the CFO Leadership Council. In 2025, she was recognized as an AICPA Global Woman to Watch. She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs & Public Policy from UC San Diego and a B.A. in International Affairs & Economics from The George Washington University, bringing both financial expertise and a global policy perspective to her work.
Janice’s journey is uniquely shaped by global and mission-driven experiences. Before transitioning into accounting, she spent a decade managing refugee programs in the United States and abroad, including roles with the International Rescue Committee and the Maryland Office for Refugees & Asylees. She has also lived and worked internationally in both Japan and Uganda.
Outside of work, Janice is a dedicated endurance athlete who completed a full Ironman triathlon in 2024, bringing the same discipline and determination to her personal pursuits as she does to her professional impact.
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