The inaugural CounciLIVE season is packed with some of the foremost voices in early childhood education today. Covering trending topics and issues in our field, the live broadcast series debuted this month with a short, introductory episode featuring Council CEO Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr.; a full-length episode on the paramount importance of safety in early childhood settings, featuring Council Executive Vice President of Programs Michelle Brown; and a conversation with Dr. Ryan Lee-James, Director of the Rollins Center for Language and Literacy at Atlanta Speech School, on equity and literacy in early childhood education
Did you miss the CounciLIVE kickoff? Catch up by streaming the episodes you missed, available now on Spotify or YouTube. Every CounciLIVE episode will be reshared to Spotify and YouTube within one week of airing on Facebook Live (on our Council for Professional Recognition Facebook page). Follow us on Facebook, Spotify and YouTube so that you never miss an episode!
And mark your calendar to join us for the next two conversations with CounciLIVE featured guest speakers! Tune in Dr. Cindy Shackelford’s (Professor at Jefferson State College) dialogue on professionalism with Abena Ocran-Jackson (Council for Professional Recognition Vice President of Credentialing) on Thursday, August 12, 2021 at 1:00 PM ET; and catch Dr. Shantel Meek’s (Founding Director of the Children’s Equity Project) conversation with Michelle Brown on equity in PreK programs on CounciLIVE on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 1:00 PM ET.
Anchored in our flagship publication, The Essentials for Working with Young Children, each CounciLIVE episode will bring to you a conversation on one or more CDA® functional area(s) and will explore its importance in relation to current events, educational philosophy and research today. Learn more about the series in our recent press release and blog.
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...
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I wanted to share how it is important for us all to reflect on women’s progress in the business world and the importance of supporting and empowering...
My mom called me up some years ago to praise a movie about a pig. As she began to mimic the pig’s squeaky little voice, I started to wonder what this meant and worried my...
It takes a village to raise a child, the old proverb tells us. But we need to expand our perspective, according to pediatric surgeon, social scientist and mom Dana Suskind. In her heartfelt work, Parent...
Dr. Calvin Moore shared that when he first arrived at the Council and took on the CEO role, he was focused on assessing the early childhood education (ECE) landscape, the reach of the organization and...
We have probably all seen the commercials this time of year when you can hear the popular holiday song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, playing in the background as parents dance joyously...
Did you know early childhood educators in Maryland have a special benefit that can help them and the children they serve? The Maryland State Department of Education has awarded a $1 million grant to the...
For the first time in three years, the Education Writers Association (EWA) gathered in person for their National Seminar in Orlando last month. The event drew journalists from across the country to hear from leaders...
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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