Join us in Space City and explore ways to make your career soar. In less than five months, the premier event in our field, the Early Educators Leadership Conference, will take off in Houston, TX, home to NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center. So, make sure you mark your calendar, register early and stay tuned to the EELC Corner each month in CounciLINK. This year’s conference theme is Inspire, Innovate, Impact: The Future is Early Childhood. And you’ll learn how to build your own professional future when you join us on October, 4-7, 2023, at the Westin Galleria. It’s a luxe hotel just minutes from many of the city’s top attractions, including Space Center Houston.
And here are a few of the top discussions you can look forward to joining during our action-packed schedule of events:
October 5:
October 6:
This is just a sample of what you can expect at the 2023 EELC. We encourage you to visit the updated website for the full schedule of events. Remember to register early since the EELC is always a sold-out event. Ensure your place and save money, too, when you register now since the cost of the EELC will increase on July 15.
We look forward to welcoming you at the 2023 EELC. Together, we can build the future of the early childhood field.
Each small step we take for our profession, to borrow from astronaut Neil Armstrong, is one giant leap for children nationwide.
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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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