Invisible Child: A Spotlight on Life in the Shadows
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
Bill Hudson, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer for the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), visited the Council’s office to discuss potential partnerships and to share information about his organization with our community. NAFCC, the only national association dedicated solely to family child care, has a national accreditation program that holds a set of national standards similar to our CDA® Credential. The NAFCC accreditation is specifically designed to help family child care providers get accredited and raise the level of professionalism and service within their practice. Because both our organizations have a mission to serve the early education workforce, we would like to plan how we can work together to best benefit them.
NAFCC, a 5,000 member organization, is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, but Mr. Hudson is based off Washington D.C. since, he explained, the District is where legislation on early education is passed and where the field’s main advocates are located. When we asked about NAFCC’s current mission, he said, “We hope to expand our membership to 40,000 in five years. We’re the advocates at the federal level for family child care providers, and the more people we have, the louder the voice. We actually have somebody devoted to going to Capitol Hill and trying to influence the legislation for family child care providers. Currently, we are interested in exploring potential partnerships with the Council. We’re both very interested in family child care providers and increasing the level of success and professionalism of those providers so anything that we can do to work together benefits the field.” Two of NAFCC’s most recent advocacy efforts include the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for child care settings.
Mr. Hudson also went on to share that this is a great time to be involved in the early care and education field because of all the national conversations about children from birth to five years of age. There is a great federal and state emphasis on early education and the early educator right now.
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
The CDA Advisory Committee was created to provide insights, perspectives, and best practices to the CDA community and other early childhood professionals. Established during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the members’ first-hand experiences...
Where can you connect with CDA® holders and the wide range of folks who serve them? Turn to the Council Alumni Network (CAN), an online community that brings together current and past CDA earners, CDA...
Professional development is absolutely critical to your success, as well as the success of all the children in your care. Not to mention in most states, you’re required to complete a minimum number of training...
This month marks my second year at the Council for Professional Recognition. When I first arrived at the Council, I was no stranger to the organization or its mission, as I had been involved with...
Schools are microcosms of the world beyond their walls. Factors like race, culture, class and gender set the stage for what takes place in our schools as learners from different groups interact. The conflicts that...
There is no denying the academic and emotional impact of the pandemic on children. News websites and TV newscasts are full of stories about the unknown long-term effects of the past two years on kids....
Finding informative and trusted early childhood educator resources online can be a challenge. That’s why the CDA® Advisory Committee met virtually to learn more about the nonprofit, The Source for Learning (SFL) and its ECE...
Each year I update my professional bio and pause at the part where it says, “Rachel Robertson has worked in the field for over X years”. Not because I can’t believe it or can’t remember,...
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.
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.