Congratulations to Briana Kennedy from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, our first Infant and Toddler CDA to earn her credential using the new online system. Cheryl is a head teacher at Noah’s Baby Barn in New Jersey. Although she has only been at the current center for a short time, her interest in early childhood education began much sooner. Briana comes from a large family of 12 children and it was the combination of helping out at home and volunteering with her aunts Family Child Care business that really gave her the early childhood education spark. When asked what she loves most about her job, she said, “…it’s the reaction of the children. I love being greeted in the morning ‘Good morning Ms. Bri’.”Briana’s experience like most CDA’s started with her training, she stated, “(My trainer and PD Specialist) were so helpful from the beginning and made the process so much easier.” Applying online, Briana said was super easy, stating “Everything I needed was right there.” Briana could not get over how fast she went through the process, “I was shocked,” she said. Briana’s stepmother is a CDA Credential holder, so she knew how unusual it was that she completed the process so quickly. Her stepmother couldn’t believe it either, saying “How did you earn your CDA already, you just finished the class!” There was no doubt how proud Briana feels 
to have earned her CDA and faster than she ever thought possible.
Briana enjoyed the CDA credentialing process from start to finish. Even the test site, she stated was, “relaxing and calm.” Pearson took very good care of her during the scheduling and testing experience, giving clear instructions and having a clean, spacious desk area for testers.
Briana’s final advice to potential CDA Candidates, “Applying for your CDA online is a must, it’s more convenient and in the end you will receive everything a lot faster.”
To our followers – We want to bring your attention to an important matter regarding communication from the Council for Professional Recognition. Recently, a Facebook account impersonating the Council for Professional Recognition responded to people...
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re embarking on professional development (PD) to meet state requirements, or you want to invest in your own growth, PD has a number of benefits. First, it helps ensure you’re keeping up...
In the world of early childhood education, there’s a remarkable achievement that more people should know about – earning a Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™. The Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit that supports early...
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re just starting out in the early childhood field, or you’ve been teaching for years, chances are you’ve heard the term CDA at least a few times. The Child Development Associate® (CDA)...
SPONSORED BLOG Excitement. Jitters. Uncertainty. The new school year comes with a multitude of emotions and challenges — but thankfully there are things you can do ahead of time to prepare and ensure it’s the...
Language and literacy skills are fundamental building blocks for a child’s development, enabling effective communication, social interaction, and academic success throughout grade school and beyond. For young children with disabilities, however, traditional educational models may...
The Council for Professional Recognition’s Council Alumni Network (CAN) recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. This free community boasts 1200+ members. CAN is a diverse group of stakeholders in early childhood education (ECE) across the U.S....
A couple of years before becoming a mother, I saw the classic movie Terms of Endearment. Before the opening credits, the film portrayed Aurora, played by Shirley MacLaine, as a worried mom who checked on...
“Every child deserves a champion,” said longtime teacher Rita Pierson in a famous TED talk. She was talking about “an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and...
Chief Operations Officer
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
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.
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