EELC Corner

The countdown has begun …

We can’t wait to greet you next week at the 2022 Early Educators Leadership Conference (EELC). You can look forward to hearing insights from industry thought leaders connecting with colleagues, watching world-renowned entertainers and working on great, new methods of self-care. There’s a wealth of information—and fun—in store, as you can hear from Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., Council CEO.

Get to Know the Keynote Speakers

Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer
Council for Professional Recognition

Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., an accomplished and experienced early childhood education leader, was appointed interim CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition in May 2020; he’s the first CEO of the Council to hold its early education credential, the Child Development Associate^® (CDA). He previously served on the Council’s governing board.

Moore earned his CDA^® nearly three decades ago while working for Head Start, a program he first participated in as a child. He also has vast professional Head Start experience, having served in large and small, urban and rural, center-based and family child care-based programs, as well as programs focused predominantly on Hispanic families.

Throughout his career, Moore has held senior roles directing complex public departments at both the federal and state level, focused on improving outcomes for underserved children and families.

Coy Bowles

Musician, Children’s Book Author and Early Education & Literacy Advocate
Coyco Creative

A Georgia native, born and raised in Thomaston, Coy Bowles is probably best known as a guitarist, keyboardist, singer, and songwriter for the three-time Grammy Award-winning Zac Brown Band. However, off stage, he is a teacher and parent blazing trails in the world of early education. With five highly praised children’s books under his belt, Coy recently released a social-emotional learning kit based around his hit book, Behind the Little Red Door, an unforgettable story of imagination and creativity. His new children’s album, Music for Tiny Humans, won a Gold Award from the Parents’ Choice Foundation.

Coy is a board member for the Georgia Foundation for Early Care + Learning and is involved with the Georgia Governor’s Office education initiatives. He was also the 2019 keynote speaker for GAEYC, and recently became the Region IV Head Start Ambassador on Early Literacy.

Recently, Coy unveiled his new children’s education and creativity company, Coyco Creative, which stands for “Creativity Opportunity Yields Creative Output.” Through this exciting new venture, Coy delivers original children’s books and music, play-based learning, and unique opportunities for both in-person and digital classrooms.

Dr. Kimberly Johnson

Children’s Book Author & Educator
Clemson University

Children’s author and educator, Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson is the author of 22 children’s books. She received her doctorate in curriculum, teaching, and leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. She holds a master’s degree from Clemson University in youth development and leadership. Kimberly also has a degree in early childhood education and communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her post-doctoral work in the Advanced Leadership Program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. In addition, she recently completed a certificate in diversity and inclusion at Cornell University.

Kimberly is a creative thinker with a passion for teaching and helping others. She currently teaches “Creative Activities for Youth” and “Working with Diverse Youth” at Clemson University. She also teaches “Creative Writing for Social Change” at Clinton College and is a course facilitator for the “Leading Learning and Managing Evidence” courses at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. She is currently the curriculum design specialist for the King Center in Atlanta.

Sherry Cleary

University Dean and Executive Director
City University of New York

Sherry M. Cleary is the University Dean of Early Childhood Initiatives at the City University of New York and the Executive Director of the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute. She leads the work of a passionate team dedicated to building essential systems to ensure a highly effective early childhood workforce for the state of New York so that young children have a guarantee of access to excellence. Her work also focuses on how colleges and universities can build more effective early childhood programs, as well as campus children’s programs. She supports CUNY’s 17 campus child care centers and chairs the Student-Parent Task Force.

Ms. Cleary has worked in the field of early childhood education as a classroom teacher, program administrator, and both a faculty member and higher education administrator at Erie Community College, the University of Pittsburgh and now, CUNY. She has extensive experience in inner cities and rural communities, has served on several boards of directors and college advisory boards, as well as presided over national and regional membership organizations.

Want to learn more? Download the conference brochure to get to know all the presenters and see the special events that are planned.

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We can’t wait to see you at EELC 2022!