Twenty-month-old Everly leans on Ms. Sarah’s lap in the young toddler classroom. Ms. Sarah enjoys supporting Everly’s language skills and playing “Pat-a-Cake” as Everly giggles. She assists Everly in rolling gently from side to side and provides soft books and toys that can be easily grasped. Everly has Down Syndrome and doesn’t crawl yet but loves to roll and play. The other children are gentle and play peek-a-boo with her. Ms. Sarah smiles at Everly and says, “Time to eat. Are you hungry?” She uses American sign language, and Everly signs back, “hungry.”
Everly’s mother frequently takes Everly to physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. She deeply values the sensitivity and care of the teachers and program, as they coordinate an individualized family service plan and ensure Everly receives all the personal support she needs.
Inclusive teaching depends on a caring community where families feel welcomed as full partners in daily communication and planning. These practices are highlighted in CDA® Competency Goal IV, to establish positive and productive relationships with families. Educators support growth across all areas of development, including physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive – to ensure the greatest engagement and well-being for every child.
Importantly, CDA credentialed educators create warm and nurturing spaces where children feel loved, included, and protected. They strengthen children’s sense of belonging, security, and self-esteem in settings designed to promote emerging self-confidence and personal identity. They invest personally and professionally in each child and family, resulting in a lifetime of positive benefits for all.
The Council for Professional Recognition demonstrates a continuing commitment to inclusive early childhood education by ensuring teachers understand how to create respectful and responsive environments for all young children and their families. The Essentials for Working with Young Children, Third Edition provides information for early childhood educators working with children in inclusive settings.
The Council fully supports and abides by the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Following its mission to “make it possible for everyone with a disability to live a life of freedom and equality,” the Council offers special accommodations for educators who would like to earn the CDA credential to ensure fair and inclusive participation and assessment processes. Candidates must indicate the need for accommodation as part of their online application and provide medical documentation to support the request. They must be otherwise qualified to apply for the CDA® credential, and the disability must be known to their employer. The Council continues to honor and elevate educators, supporting their professional journey by removing barriers to access and by promoting success and recognition throughout the CDA credentialling process.
Special Education Day is celebrated on December 2nd to commemorate the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We invite you to celebrate this milestone with us by advocating for and supporting inclusive early childhood education. Here are some steps to get started:
Stay Connected!
Follow the Council for Professional Recognition on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
Twenty-month-old Everly leans on Ms. Sarah’s lap in the young toddler classroom. Ms. Sarah enjoys supporting Everly’s language skills and playing “Pat-a-Cake” as Everly giggles. She assists Everly in rolling gently from side to side...
Strengthening Integrity, Objectivity, and Efficiency in the CDA® Credentialing Process At the Council for Professional Recognition, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the integrity, objectivity and quality of the Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™,...
The partnership between the Council for Professional Recognition (the Council) and the United States Department of Defense (DoD) is a vital and longstanding collaboration dedicated to ensuring high-quality early childhood and youth education for military...
Each October, National Children’s Health Month is observed to shine a spotlight on the importance of safeguarding and promoting children’s well-being. For those working in early care and education, this annual observance is a reminder...
Each September, National Preparedness Month reminds us of a vital truth: the ability to respond effectively in times of crisis is developed long before an emergency strikes. While we often think of preparedness in terms...
August is National Family Fun Month, with American Family Day celebrated on August 3rd. During this time, families can spend quality time together, head to the local park or pool, take a walk, or go...
Early childhood educators play a critical role in the lives of young children and their families around the world. As the administrator of the Child Development Associate® (CDA), the Council for Professional Recognition is at...
The Council is updating the renewal process to make it more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly. These changes streamline requirements, automate renewals, and introduce a fair audit system to ensure compliance while minimizing administrative burdens. Updates...
Family child care homes are more than convenient places for working families to find child care; they are essential nurturing learning environments where children grow, develop, and build the foundation for lifelong success. With nearly...
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.
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.
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.
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.
