Getting to Know the Council

August 20, 2024

Meet Vilma

Senior Manager, Multilingual and Special Programs

The CDA is a unique credential, available to all members of the early childhood community nationwide. Every educator can advance their classroom/family home practice through meeting the CDA Competency Standards, a proven measure of quality and skill in the early childhood field.

Vilma Williams holds a record as the longest-serving member of the Council staff. During more than three decades, she has shown a passion for helping early childhood educators grow in their field, especially those who serve vulnerable populations, because she is convinced that all young children have the right to learn and feel that they are loved. “I want all children to know they are loved, important, smart and can achieve anything their heart desires,” Vilma says. “When children have self-confidence and self-esteem, they can learn everything else they need to succeed.”

Children also should learn how to treat others, as Vilma learned from her teachers, Sandy Gonzalez and Diane Dodge. They taught her to show respect, share ideas and have a sense of patience, lessons Vilma embraced as a mom of two and soccer coach for nine years. Those days are past, now her kids are grown. So, Vilma has time for other pursuits. She volunteers with youth at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and has hobbies that include reading, Zumba dancing, singing, and playing the guitar. She can also express herself well in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In addition, Vilma knows a language that counts even more: the language of love she speaks to the educators and children she serves.

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