Published by CounciLINK on February 27, 2020
Inspired Speech at the Navy Mid-Atlantic Region Child and Youth Programs Commencement
On February 13, Dr. Valora Washington, CEO of the Council, was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Navy Mid-Atlantic Region Child and Youth Programs Commencement Ceremony in Norfolk, VA. Nearly 300 people were awarded the CDA credential as they stood before a full house of their loved ones and friends. Many of the new CDA holders also had higher education degrees and high hopes of going far in their profession. To further inspire the graduates, Terrilyn Williams a current doctoral student, shared her CDA journey. You can read her moving speech below:
“I am honored to stand before you this evening to share with you how earning my Child Development Associate, better known as the CDA® credential, has impacted my educational and career pathway.
I received my initial CDA credential in 1999 after completing the 13 Child Development modules working as a program assistant for the Department of the Army. I later received my associate’s degree in ECE, working as a teacher for Head Start through their Tuition Scholarship Program.
I began my career with the Department of the Navy in 2007 and completed my master’s degree in education. Working for the Navy has provided me with some of the most comprehensive training available. In my 13 years with Navy Child and Youth Programs, the training, experiences and connections I made empowered me to further my education. Because of that, I am now a doctoral candidate currently writing my dissertation in early childhood education.
I say all of this to show that my career pathway started with earning my CDA. Over the past 20 years, and after receiving several degrees, I have maintained my CDA credential as a reminder of how it all began and how it leveraged my career as a military spouse with gainful employment. And now as a Professional Development Specialist who conducts observations for CDA candidates, I can help someone else along the way.
I would like to personally thank Dr. Washington and the Council for Professional Recognition for having this nationally recognized credential for early childhood educators.
Lastly, I would like to congratulate each of you on your accomplishment, and if you choose to further your education, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of some of the opportunities that may be available to you, such as the Navy Tuition Reimbursement program or the grant and scholarship programs offered by the state.
In closing, I would like to thank Ms. Ollie Baker personally for seeing this vision and working with the Navy to make her vision a reality. Because of her dedication to the Navy and the CDA program, hundreds of CYP employees can now have the same opportunity I had many years ago.”
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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.
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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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