Usma Mohamed
news@cdacouncil.org
WASHINGTON, DC — Dr. Carol Brunson Day has been named as the Council for Professional Recognition Fellow in recognition of the 45th Anniversary of the Child Development Associate® Credential (CDA). Day served as founding Executive Director of the Council and has spent her career as an advocate for quality early childhood services for young children and families. The Council administers the CDA and has issued over 800,000 CDAs to early childhood educators around the world.
“We naturally thought of Dr. Day for this fellowship because we want to reach back to a person that has been instrumental in advancing the work of the Council,” says Dr. Calvin Moore Jr., CEO of the Council. “Dr. Day’s excellent leadership of the Council helped us achieve a foothold that we’ve grown from to this moment. The fellowship represents for us our commitment to our history and staying connected to our vibrant legacy and the leaders who made it possible.”
Dr. Day says, “It’s such an honor to be named the first Council for Professional Recognition Fellow. I’ll be chronicling the Council’s early journey and role from 1985 to 2005 in the evolution and growth of the early childhood profession, and illuminating the collaborative yet uniquely distinct ways in which the Council influenced and shaped the increased status and recognition of CDAs in the workforce. Moreover, I will work to stimulate a process to craft a professional recognition policy agenda for the Council’s future.”
The policy agenda will seek to enhance the ability of the early childhood education sector to make significant contributions to the field and the lives of children from birth to 5 years old, as well as to other child development credentials and programs.
After leaving the Council, Day served as CEO and President of the National Black Child Development Institute, from which she retired in 2011. She has also served as president of the governing board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
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 child care and home visitor programs. As a nonprofit organization, the Council sets policies and procedures for assessment and credentialing. To date, over 800,000 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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