Usma Mohamed
news@cdacouncil.org
WASHINGTON — The Council for Professional Recognition, an organization that supports early childhood education professionals and administers the Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential, has named Brionnea Williams-McClary as director of public policy. A recognized early education policy expert, Williams-McClary brings firsthand experience to this role, including working in early childhood centers, with Head Start programs, and earning a CDA herself.
Williams-McClary will work with the Council’s leadership to advance the organization’s mission in the area of policy. She brings a wealth of experience and academic preparation to this new role. Throughout her professional career, she has focused on the well-being of children. She previously worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of Child Care and as well as the Office of Head Start, focusing on underserved families. Her experience as a preschool teacher will be invaluable as she understands what it is like to educate young children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Women’s Studies from Spelman College, a master’s degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Cincinnati, and a Juris Doctorate in Law and Policy from the Salmon P. Chase Law School at Northern Kentucky University.
“I am so pleased to welcome Brionnea to the Council,” says Dr. Calvin Moore Jr., CEO of the Council. “She brings not only professional but real-life experience to this role. Her understanding of what it takes to earn a CDA and the value it brings to an early educator is immeasurable. She is passionate about promoting our policy agenda to help support all young children.”
The mission of the Council is to promote improved performance and recognition of professionals in the early childhood education of children ages birth to 5 years old through the CDA. The CDA is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education and is a crucial stepping stone on career advancement in early childhood education. To date, over 800,000 CDA credentials have been issued around the world.
ABOUT THE COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
The Council for Professional Recognition promotes improved performance and recognition of professionals in the early childhood education of children ages birth to 5 years old. The Council recognizes and credentials professionals who work in all types of early care and education settings including Head Start, pre-k, infant-toddler, family childcare, and home visitor programs. As a nonprofit organization, the Council sets policies and procedures for assessment and credentialing. To date, close to one million Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials have been issued around the world. For more information, visit www.cdacouncil.org.
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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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