QSS Recommendations Team

Get to know the team!

Team members are highly experienced.

3 - 24 YEARS AS DIRECTORS

Range of years of experience team members have as program directors and/or center owners. 

11 - 40 YEARS IN THE FIELD

Range of years of overall experience team members have in early childhood care and education.

16 YEARS

Median years of experience as directors.

29 YEARS

Median years of experience in early care and education

They are racially and geographically representative of the Mississippi childcare community.

They represent a variety of childcare program types.

They serve children who receive Child Care Payment Program subsidies and children with special needs.

Complete Member List

  • Amy Berry
    Little Saints Academy
  • Aretta Lynne Black
    Lil Leap Academy, Inc.
  • Thelma Cox
    McCarty Learning Center
  • Lesia Daniel
    Funtime Clinton Preschool & AfterSchool
  • Elizabeth Freeman
    Friends of Children of Mississippi Head Start/Early Head Start
  • Thelma Willis Harden
    The Christian Learning Center
  • Ettamarie Jackson
    Heaven’s Angels Academy
  • Eldora Jones
    Back to Basics Daycare
  • Hope Jones
    Kiddie Korner Learning Center
  • Nancy Koon
    The Mustard Seed Preschool & Child Care Center
  • Idrick “Tina” Leggette
    Kindercare Learning Center
  • Linda Loftin
    CMI Early Head Start Center
  • Penny Mansell
    MUW Child and Parent Development Center
  • Tina Routh
    Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
  • Pamela Thomas
    Picayune School District Early Head Start
  • Dontrice Tyler
    Bright Future Learning Academy
  • Stephane Watts
    New Vineyard Community Development Center
  • Melissa Weaver
    MGCCC Early Childhood Education Technology Program
  • Joanne Weith
    Journey Kids Learning Center

 In order to collect broad and diverse input, the convening team will also send out an online survey to childcare providers across the state to gather their feedback and reactions to the recommendations created by this team.