Achieving our Forum for the Future goal of building a state-of-the-art childcare system will take input and coordinated action from a broad scope of individuals and organizations. That’s just one of the reasons we’re excited to spotlight a variety of speakers and partners during the Forum for the Future Summit! Read on to learn a bit more about some of our event speakers, panelists and partners.
Dr. Libbie Sonnier will share how Louisiana has secured state and local funding for early childhood care and education.
Dr. Sonnier is the Executive Director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. Recognized for her tenacity and deep commitment to children, Dr. Sonnier has led teams in system-wide initiatives for the betterment of children, families, caregivers, and practitioners for more than two decades. During her time at LPIC, she has helped secure and direct more than $1 billion for early care and education in Louisiana, including a 20-year millage that creates one of the nation’s largest dedicated funds for infant and toddler care in New Orleans.
She also helped conceive, launch, and co-chair the Steering Committee of Geaux Far Louisiana, a comprehensive effort that engages parents and early childhood health and education providers in leading the transformation of the state’s early childhood systems to better meet the needs of families.
Panelists and special guests will speak to the greater context surrounding Forum for the Future working group projects.
Explore Childcare Participation in Early Learning Collaboratives
This working group will be led by two co-chairs:
Kenecha Brooks Smith, Educational Consultant at KBS, Inc. and Leading for Children
Shuronda Claiborne-Common, Business Advisor with Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Early Care and Development
Summit attendees who are interested in this working group will hear from panelists including:
Dr. Jill Dent, Director of the Office of Early Childhood, Mississippi Department of Education
Hope Mikell, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Hattiesburg Public School District
Working Group Project: Explore Funding Structures and Revenue Streams to Increase Wages & Provide Professional Development for Childcare Workers
This working group will be led by two co-chairs:
Dr. Cathy Grace, Co-Director of the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning at the University of Mississippi.
Connie Clay, Education and Training Specialist at the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning of the University of Mississippi.
During the Summit, attendees interested in this working group will hear from Chad Allgood, Director of Early Childhood Care and Development at the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
Working Group Project: Analyze the cost of providing quality childcare services across care models & settings (including at-home and center-based). Determine how to close the gap between how much quality services cost and how much families can afford to pay.
This working group will be led by two co-chairs:
Dr. Jeff Leffler, Assistant Professor and Interim Head in the Meridian Division of Education at Mississippi State University
Tamara Smith, Director of Early Childhood at Midtown Partners, Inc.
During the Summit, attendees interested in this working group will hear from Tiffannie Hedin, Corporate Communications Manager for Toyota North America