Dear Colleagues,
Do you struggle to strike a work-life balance? Many people wonder how to juggle their roles at home and on the job, especially as we mark National Work and Family Month. Overall, U.S. employees are the most stressed out in the world, according to a recent Gallup Global Workplace Report. So, the hit TV series Severance has hooked millions since its release in 2022. The show centers on a company whose employees can undergo a surgical procedure that “severs” their work and home lives. This creates two distinct personalities: an “innie” who only experiences their time on the job and an “outie” who forgets what they do at work.
Many early educators may wish they could leave work behind at the end of the day, but they can’t, as Dr. Calvin Moore tells us in his new blog, Me Time Matters. Most educators spend hours in the evenings and on weekends doing paperwork and planning tasks at home. This is because only 16 states require some form of planning time for educators at work. But more states should, Dr. Moore insists, since those extra hours hurt both educators and the children they serve. Teachers who are stressed tend to interact with children less sensitively, so insufficient planning time can have an impact on young learners’ experiences in the classroom. Taking care of teachers is a key part of taking care of children.
Early childhood leaders and administrators should show concern for the challenges educators face at home since their personal issues can prevent them from doing their best at work. It’s easy to say be professional and leave your problems at home. But it doesn’t work, not even in Severance. You might not consciously recall what’s bothering you, but you still feel it, as Petey, a character in the series, points out. “You carry the hurt with you. You just don’t know what it is.”
Our lives inside and outside of work are closely linked, as Sharon Hudgins-Beck understands. So as CEO of Destiny Consulting, Sharon supports educators both personally and professionally, she tells us in this edition. “I don’t just want to pass on information during the training sessions I provide. I also ask open-ended questions that encourage people to explore life issues that prevent them from reaching their potential. In addition, I share personal stories from my own life, as an educator and parent. Sometimes, it’s just a simple tip, but afterward, an educator will often come up to me and tell me how that little bit of information made them look deep inside themselves and inspired them to be a better teacher, colleague, parent or friend. They walk away transformed because of something they’ve learned from me.”
Colleagues can also help you survive tough times, as Phyllis Roland learned many years ago after the death of her 21-year-old daughter. Now she brings that lesson to her work as a CDA® coach for the Early Childhood Innovation Center in Delaware, as you’ll see when we feature her this month. “Part of being a professional in ECE is supporting others,” Phyllis explains. That’s especially crucial when people are dealing with stress, as she did after her daughter’s death. She hasn’t forgotten how her center director at the time comforted her, and the memory still inspires her to help candidates handle the challenges in their own lives. “Every day when I go to work,” Phyllis says, “I prepare myself to be there for somebody else.”
So does JuNene K., one of the early learning professionals we spotlight in this month’s CDA Golden Moments. JuNene had to struggle to balance family life and work after her brother suffered a severe stroke. Her family called her a superwoman as she cared for her brother while raising two children and going to work. But it was hard to do, as she admitted to a group of early educators who were struggling to get through their CDA coursework. Based on her experience, she urged the educators not to neglect themselves while caring for everyone else. Educators must strike a balance between their home and work lives, instead of severing them, as JuNene knows. “Our job is to help children learn to be their best, but we also need ways to learn how to be our personal best.”
Happy National Work and Family Month,
The Council for Professional Recognition
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...
Beginning August 1, 2025, the Council is implementing a new exam-first approach for the CDA credentialing process. This change enhances standardization and streamlines the process, allowing candidates to demonstrate their expertise in a structured manner....
The month of June is rich with purpose and powerful reminders for those of us who support young children and their families. We celebrate National Safety Month, Family Health and Fitness Day, World Environment Day,...
Do you want to widen your career options in the early learning field and work with more than one age group of children? Many educators do, and the Council is giving you a new way...
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.
