Ecac-member-bios-2021 - Virginia



Virginia’s Early Childhood Advisory Committee MembersHeaderrowCecilia SuarezRepresenting publicly-funded, licensed early childhood care and education providersCecilia Suarez has over 40 years of experience in early childhood education. She graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education from the Instituto Peruano de Educacion Inical in Lima, Peru in 1978. She became the director of the Creative Learning School (CLS) in 1998 and has been the director and owner since 2007.Cecilia knows firsthand how important it is for every child to have access to high-quality early childhood experiences, and for families to be given the opportunity and support to be active participants in their child’s education. CLS operates under a trauma-informed and resiliency-focused framework to support those who need it the most. Cecilia is a big proponent of inclusion and promoting acceptance in our little community, an impactful experience to all those who walk through her program’s doors.Jennifer ParishRepresenting publicly-funded, licensed early childhood care and education providersJennifer Parish received her bachelors and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia and her Doctorate from the College of William and Mary. She served as Superintendent of Poquoson City Schools from 2008-2020. Prior to becoming superintendent, she worked for the York County School Division, where she served as a teacher, principal, director, and Chief Academic Officer. She was a graduate of the CIVIC Leadership Institute and was selected as the Region 2 Superintendent of the Year in 2014 and 2017.Jennifer served as the President of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents and was a member of the Governor’s SOL Innovation Committee. She also served as a Sector Leader for the United Way campaign and on the Virginia Risk Sharing Association Members’ Supervisory Board. After retiring from the superintendency Jennifer became the Executive Director of the Downtown Hampton Child Development Center. She also currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the College of William and Mary, member of the WHRO Board of Directors, member of the UVA K12 Advisory Council and member of the Mercury 64 Kiwanis Club. Cheryl MormanRepresenting publicly-funded family day home providersCheryl Morman has been a licensed family childcare provider since March 2002. She has been married for 26 years and has two sons and three grandchildren.After 13 years of working in corporate, Cheryl realized she needed more. She opened her family day home in January 2000 and shortly after became licensed. Her business grew quickly and Cheryl wanted to surround herself with other providers. She joined childcare organizations beginning with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), The Virginia Alliance of Family Child Care Association and the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). Cheryl joined the Virginia Alliance Board as a Member at Large in 2010, serving as Election Chairperson, participating in Capital Steps, and continuing to advocate for family childcare. Cheryl completed her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Development in August 2013. In 2017, she was elected as the President of the association. Cheryl’s objective for Virginia Alliance is to be known as an organization with integrity, to increase the professional image, to grow local associations, help others see quality family child care providers as educators, meet the needs and concerns of our members and to be a stronger organization on public policy and advocacy for children. Beverly YoakumRepresenting license-exempt early childhood care and education providersMrs. Yoakum attended Ohio University, first achieving an associate degree and then earned her bachelor’s. Currently, Mrs. Yoakum holds an MS Ed. from Nova Southeastern University in Early Childhood Education, Administration. From 1989 to December of 2016, Mrs. Yoakum owned and operated private chartered birth to 12th-grade schools and early childhood centers in Ohio. Her schools soon grew and eventually spanned over multiple counties, grossed several million, and provided quality education, safe care, and quality teacher training and mentoring to thousands. She sold in 2017 and moved to Virginia Beach.Some of her professional achievements include; Reggio Emilia Study Tour in 2007, Step Up to Quality coordinator, Ohio Early Childhood advisory board member, True Hero award recipient in 2012, School Accreditation Team member for the LCMS, serving as a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Board PRJVS, district hiring team for the LCMS Schools, and many collaborative relationships across the early childhood community.She currently Directs Hope Academy in Virginia Beach, VA. Mrs. Yoakum is also a licensed real estate agent. She enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and their spouses and time with her granddaughter, Lizzie, who will welcome a baby brother in May.Dr. Christen JohnsonRepresenting license-exempt early childhood care and education providersChristen has worked in both public and private education in general and special education classrooms. Currently her work is two-fold as the Director of First Presbyterian Weekday School, a NAEYC accredited early learning center, and as an adjunct professor of Early Childhood Education at Lord Fairfax Community College - both in Frederick County, Virginia. Christen obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood/Primary Education, followed by a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY. She obtained her doctoral degree from Liberty University in 2016. As an educator of young children and teachers of young children for over 22 years, Christen has worked to align the needs of these two demographics through her membership in NAEYC and her work with the Lord Fairfax Affiliate as a board member.Clark AndrsRepresenting early childhood care and education programs that are not publicly fundedClark Andrs is the owner of the River’s Bend Children’s Centers in Chesterfield County. His goal is to be a voice for child care providers and to have a positive impact on this field of work. Clark holds a degree in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Day Care Administration from Virginia Tech.In 2012, Clark had the great fortune of being appointed to the Child Care Counsel of Virginia, where he served to help promulgate child day care regulations. He currently serves as Vice President for the Virginia Child Care Association (VCCA), a non-profit organization representing child care owners and directors in the child care industry. Clark has also served as chairman of the Wee School Committee for First Baptist Church in Hopewell, VA.After being inspired by hearing Dr. Bob Pianta speak at a VCCA conferences on Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), Clark could not wait to learn more about this manner of engagement with children in the classroom setting. Not long after, Clark was trained to be a CLASS validator. All preschool staff at River’s Bend Children’s Center are currently being coached in CLASS!Clark has given his heart and soul to this field of work for the last 33 years. He is on site running the daily operation of the centers as well as weekends performing repairs, cleaning, special projects or whatever it takes to make his centers continue to thrive. Clark’s passion for this work is what motivates him to help others in the field succeed and thrive as well. Clark looks forward to working together with the other members of this committee to make a difference for children and families of Virginia.Shikee FranklinRepresenting Head Start providersShikee Franklin is an Alumni from Mercer County Head Start program in Trenton, New Jersey! She began her career in Head Start as a volunteer with The Improvement Association Head Start program. She was soon hired as a Teacher Assistant and expanded her experience in various capacities such as Summer School Teacher, Community Services Coordinator, Family Services Coordinator, and then Head Start Director for 10 years. Since 2017, Shikee has served as the Early/Head Start Director for Hampton Roads Community Action Program (HRCAP), the largest Head Start program in Virginia. Currently, she serves on several Statewide Committees and Boards including Virginia Head Start Association, School Readiness Committee, Early Care and Education Workgroup, and the Pre-School Development Grant Advisory Committee. She also serves on the National Community Action Partnership Head Start Task Force. Shikee has been fortunate to collaborate with 10 of Virginia Public School Division throughout Regions 1 & 2. She has built relationships with Local Education Agencies that lead to coordinated enrollment, single point of entry, collaboration classrooms, joint professional development, and other innovative partnerships. She has also developed and supervised a Parents as Teachers program under Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting.Shikee received her undergraduate studies in Organizational Management at St. Paul's College, and graduate studies in Education at Central Michigan University. In 2017, she was honored by Inside Business as a recipient of the Top 40 under 40.Charisse RosarioRepresenting Head Start providersMs. Rosario currently serves as the Supervisor for Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Head Start and Starting Towards Excellence in Preschool (VPI) Preschool Programs. Ms. Rosario’s experience in education spans over 25 years which include serving as an Early Childhood Educator and Bilingual Speech Therapist in New York City Public Schools to obtaining a Master’s in Educational Leadership. Her expertise in Special Education and English Learners led to the position as Loudoun’s first EL Staff Development Trainer in which she managed research-based professional development opportunities under Title III to ensure EL students are provided high caliber instructional support. Ms. Rosario became the Coordinator for Loudoun’s first Welcome Center where she provided direction for services to include efficient and effective screening, identifying, and placing new EL students in LCPS. In her three years as Supervisor of LCPS Head Start and STEP, Ms. Rosario adopted a research-based early childhood curriculum for the STEP (VPI) program, extended instructional hours for the Head Start program, expanded diversity of staff and fostered an increase in parent engagement for both programs. Ms. Rosario resides in Loudoun County with her husband of thirty years and enjoys traveling with her two adult children.Angela RouseRepresenting Head Start providersAngela R. Rouse is the Executive Director of the Roberta Webb Childcare Center in Harrisonburg Virginia. Angela started her professional career with Costco Wholesale in 1988, serving as a Front End Manager for 17 years and developing her skill set as a coach and manager.After retiring from Costco in 2005, Angela became a Children’s Pastor for a local church in the Valley region. She opened a religious-exempt child care center at this same local church before moving on to establish another private center for another five years. Angela closed this center in 2013 to become a Child Care Specialist with Child Care Aware, where she gained knowledge of VCPD and began teaching CDA courses as an adjunct faculty members through JMU. She became a member of the first Mixed Delivery grant cohort, working to coach and mentor staff and directors. She then became the STEPS Coordinator, which afforded her the opportunity to build relationships with Family Day home Providers in the Eastern, Northern, and Piedmont regions of the state. Angela earned an Associate’s degree in Biblical Studies from the International School of Ministry in 1999 and is now participating in the regional Pathfinder Scholarship program to achieve a second associate's degree in Early Childhood Education.Darrell TurnerRepresenting local school divisions or school boards that operate early childhood care and education programsDarrell Turner serves as a general education teacher with the Virginia Preschool Initiative for Richmond Public Schools. Mr. Turner believes in educating the whole child through providing experiences that allow students to express their feelings and love of learning. As a teacher in a preschool inclusion classroom, Mr. Turner is passionate about making sure students of all ability levels feel accepted in their learning environment.Mr. Turner attended Hampton University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He also holds a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Teacher Licensure and a Master’s in Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Richmond. Furthermore, he has dual endorsements in Elementary and Special Education. Some of his professional and volunteer accomplishments include; Active volunteering for VPI family engagement events, VCU Excel Center’s Circle Time at Home Television Program, 2018-2021 member of the Mayor’s Teacher Advisory Council, and a local officer and active member of the Virginia Education Association. Above all else, Mr. Turner is an advocate for his students, families, and fellow educators.Dr. Gina WohlfordRepresenting local school divisions or school boards that operate early childhood care and education programsGina Wohlford has climbed the educational ladder one step at a time; beginning as a daycare owner, and a public school Pre-K teacher, she has also filled the role of 21st Century Grant Coordinator, Reading Specialist, Assistant Principal, and Principal throughout her 25-year career in public education.Now serving as the Superintendent of Norton City Schools, Dr. Wohlford advocates for student-centered learning, innovative practices, and the social-emotional well-being of all students as demonstrated in the division’s participation in the first cohort of the Virginia is for Learners Innovation Network and her partnerships with local organizations such as United Way, Girls Inc, and Project Polaris. She also serves as the Region VII Representative for Women Education Leaders in Virginia. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from UVA-Wise, Masters of Education from Radford University, and most recently completed her PhD in Early Childhood Education from East Tennessee State University in 2018.She resides in Castlewood, Virginia with her husband Frank. She enjoys time with her two children and their families. She is looking forward to grandchildren and becoming a “GeeMa” in the Spring!Michelle HowardRepresenting nonprofit early childhood advocacy organizationsMichelle Smith Howard, Executive Director of Smart Beginnings Alexandria, is an experienced educator committed to addressing the socio-economic disparities and challenges affecting underserved communities. She began her career as an early childhood special education teacher and administrator with the District of Columbia Public Schools. She then served as the Director of Early Learning for the signature program of the Obama Administration’s White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative.Additionally, Michelle has worked as the Director of Early Childhood Development and Intervention with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and as the Coordinator of Citywide Early Childhood Programs with Alexandria City Public Schools.Michelle holds a Bachelor’s in political science from Southern University and A&M College. She also holds a Master’s in early childhood special education and an educational specialist’ in educational leadership and administration from The George Washington University.Michelle credits her love for education to her mother, a retired public school teacher, and to her pre-Kindergarten teacher, Beverly Ann Wingfield.Vivien McMahonRepresenting nonprofit early childhood advocacy organizationsVivien McMahan serves as Vice President of Community Impact for United Way of Roanoke Valley and utilizes her skills to support the United Way Initiatives and Partners focusing on a Collective Impact Model so everyone can achieve their shared goals. Vivien has spent her professional career in the field of Early Childhood as an educator in the private sector, faith-based community, and Head Start, always with a focus on elevating the lives of venerable families. Vivien has served as the Director of Early Learning Strategies for United Way of Roanoke Valley to create systemic change in the value of early childhood education. She has led the charge in Virginia to develop the first Coordinated Enrollment System in the Commonwealth by empowering Partners to have a voice and develop innovative solutions that work for families. As an advocate for Early Childhood Professionals, Vivien has also successfully worked with providers and the Department of Labor and Industry to improve pathways for education in the workforce by establishing two Early Childhood Registered Apprenticeships in the Roanoke Valley.Vivien thrives in organizations that work in partnership to elevate the lives of children and adults ensuring all have opportunities to be heard and to reach their goals. Vivien prioritizes the strength and value of relationships to create lasting change.Dr. Bweikia SteenProfessional or faculty member with expertise in early childhood from a college or university in VirginiaDr. Bweikia Steen is an Associate Professor and the Internship Coordinator in the Early Childhood Education Program within the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Dr. Steen completed her Doctorate of Education in International and Multicultural education from the University of San Francisco. Her research focuses on promoting social, emotional, and academic success among children of color during the early years, and providing early childhood educators with developmentally appropriate strategies and practices that will enable this success.Dr. Maryam SharifianProfessional or faculty member with expertise in early childhood from a college or university in VirginiaMaryam Sharifian is an Assistant Professor at James Madison University, College of Education. Dr. Sharifian received her undergraduate and graduate degree in School Counseling from Tehran University in Iran. After completing her PhD in Early Childhood Education from SUNY at Buffalo, she has started her position at JMU to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Early Childhood Education. Dr. Sharifian serves as country liaison at Childhood Education International (CEI) National Representative (representing Iran/Middle East). She also served as Board of Directors of CEI for three years. She currently serves as a Secretary/Treasurer of American Educational Research Association (AERA) PEACE Education SIG. Dr. Sharifian addresses educational issues relating to children and teachers in area of armed conflict (their wellbeing and resilience strategies). In addition, she served as a Co-PI in Shared Services for Family Day Homes (S.T.E.P.) 2019-2020 grant to expand the availability of quality child care for infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, and children in need of care during non-traditional hours. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of Preschool Development Grant (PDG) and Mixed-Delivery Grant (MDG) to increase the quality and equity of early childhood education in the Commonwealth.Dr. Bergen NelsonRepresenting the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of PediatricsBergen Nelson, MD, MS, is a primary care pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, and serves as Early Childhood Champion for the VA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and Harvard Medical School, the Pediatric Leadership for the Underserved (PLUS) residency program at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at the University of California, Los Angeles. She conducts research in developmental screening and systems of care to promote early childhood health and development.Sandra WilbergerRepresenting advocacy or service organizations that focus on serving children with disabilitiesSandra “Sandy” Wilberger, M.Ed. is employed at the Partnership for People with Disabilities where she serves as the Co-Director for the Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC at VCU). In this capacity, she leads a team that provides professional development to professionals who work with young children with disabilities. Her degree and background is in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) and she has worked over 30 years in this field as a teacher, inclusion specialist, and provider of professional development. Sandy is passionate about advocating for and supporting services to young children with disabilities and their families. When she is not working she enjoys spending time with her family which includes her partner, adult son Conner, his husband, and her rescue dog Winne Cooper.Taren McCoyRepresenting business owners, operators, and employees in the CommonwealthTaren McCoy is a graduate of William Fleming High School. During her years at WFHS she was involved in: the Cheer Team, DECA, Early Childcare Education Club, Key Club and the marching band! As a senior at WFHS she received the Kiwanis of Tomorrow Scholarship for her volunteer work with children at Northwest Child Development Center and Westside Elementary School. She realized, through that experience, her love to educate children. From that moment forward, Taren dedicated all her time and efforts to pursue her dream of working with children in some magnitude.After graduation Taren worked at various childcare centers in the area, beginning as an Assistant Teacher and evolving to a Center Director. She received her Childhood Development Associate in Infant/Toddler Caregiving and Preschool Settings. She is currently pursuing her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education through Virginia Western Community College. Currently, Taren is the youngest minority-woman Owner and Executive Director of a childcare center in the Roanoke Valley. She opened Small Steps Learning Academy in 2010 and grew to open a second location to serve Infants & Toddlers in the fall of 2020. Small Steps Academies serve approximately 160 children daily with 30 employees. Small Steps is a pillar in the community serving children of varying cultural backgrounds, religions, economic statuses and family structures. Small Steps places a strong emphasis on quality and building productive relationships with families while blending private and public funding in one setting. In her spare time, Taren coaches high school cheerleading, loves to spend time with her family, and participate in church functions. Taren is a wife and mother of two children: Darren (14) and Taylor (7).Sara CookParent of a child enrolled in a publicly-funded early childhood programSara Cook graduated from King University in 2010, earning her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as a Minor in Elementary Education. Upon graduation, she was awarded the honor of being Student Teacher of the Year. Inspired by her childhood educators, Ms. Cook returned to her hometown to bring the same passion and dedication she had experienced as an elementary student to her own classroom. She devotes her time and effort to provide her students with a love of learning, and nurtures their natural curiosity, learning and growth.Ms. Cook has taught Pre-K for nine years at Stonewall Jackson Elementary in Bristol, VA. She is an advocate for Early Childhood Education and Early Intervention in rural areas, and she continues to devote her love of teaching to her community. Ms. Cook has served on the Communities of Learning for Inclusive Programs Committee, participated with Smart Beginnings United Way in Southwest VA and has assisted with the Special Olympics program. She continues to organize fund-raising activities to help promote early childhood development and provides her voice in support of early childhood development programs, both locally and nationally, and happily resides with her husband Ethan, and their beautiful daughter Maylee, in the mountains of Bristol, Virginia.Grace CreaseyRepresenting the Virginia Council on Private EducationGrace T. Creasey serves as the Executive Director of the Virginia Council for Private Education. VCPE has a long history of leading and supporting excellence in private education in the Commonwealth through robust advocacy, accountability, and accreditation standards. Creasey became the Association’s Executive Director on November 1, 2017. She has exceptional experience as a private and public school educator, fundraiser, teacher, and administrator. She has previously served at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School, Goochland Middle School, Goochland High School, Maury High School, and McGuire Woods Consulting. She is a strong advocate for private education and accountability for all schools.Roberta NewmanStatewide nonprofit association representing before- and after-school nonprofit child care and preschool providersRoberta Newman is a nationally recognized, trainer, author, keynote speaker and afterschool consultant. Holding Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees, Roberta has been a teacher and school administrator from preschool through high school. She directed the LANK School of Reston early learning center and directed the multi-site School Age Child Care Program for the Fairfax County Office for Children. Roberta has developed afterschool credentialing systems for numerous states and military school-age child care programs. Her Video Training Program Keys to Quality in School-Age Child Care has been widely used to develop quality programs across the country. In collaboration with CypherWorx, she also created 36 online staff training modules for non-profit afterschool organizations. Roberta is currently Coordinator of Smart Beginnings Eastern Shore and its annual KIDS COUNT Forum and KIDS COUNT Virtual Series. She is a member of the Leadership Advisory Council of the Virginia Partnership on Out–of-School Time (VPOST) and serves on the boards of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation, the Cape Charles Rosenwald School Restoration Initiative, and Eastern Shore Healthy Communities. Roberta has also served as President of the Eastern Shore Community College Foundation where she was awarded the VCCS Leadership in Philanthropy Award in 2020.Angela WirtRepresenting a nonprofit entity that provides child care resource and referral servicesAngela Wirt has over 20 years of professional experience in human services, focused primarily on services supporting and advocating for families and children. Angela has served in the arenas of domestic violence and sexual assault crisis counseling, child care administration, Head Start family support services, and as a child care subsidy social worker with the department of social services. For the last 13 years, Angela has served in various roles within the statewide child care resource and referral network administrative office, Child Care Aware of Virginia, moving from data and quality assurance, to staff management as the Deputy Director, and into her current role as Executive Director of the network in January 2017. Angela received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, with a Minor in Journalism, from Longwood University and attained a Master’s degree in Human Services with a Specialization in Nonprofit Management from Capella University.Ex Officio (non-voting) MembersPhotobioHeaderrowAtif QarniSecretary of EducationPrior to his appointment as Governor Northam’s Secretary of Education, Atif Qarni taught at Beville Middle School in Prince William County, leading courses in civics, economics, U.S History, and mathematics. He also served as a GED Night School Instructor. In 2016, Atif was recognized as the Dale City Teacher of the Year. Atif is a former Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps, and was deployed to Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has also served at the state level, having been appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to the Small Business Commission in 2013.Secretary Qarni holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from George Washington University as well as a Master’s in History and teaching license from George Mason University.Dr. Daniel CareySecretary of Health and Human ResourcesDaniel Carey, M.D., MHCM, was appointed Secretary of Health and Human Resources by Governor Ralph Northam in January 2018. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Carey worked for over 20 years as a cardiologist in Lynchburg and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Centra, where his responsibilities included information technology services, patient quality and safety efforts, performance improvement initiatives, and functions of the medical staff at Centra’s 3 acute care facilities. Dr. Carey received his M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School, and his Master of Health Care Management degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Dr. James LaneVirginia Department of EducationDr. James F. Lane is Virginia’s 25th superintendent of public instruction. Prior to his appointment as the commonwealth’s chief school officer, Dr. Lane served as a division superintendent in Chesterfield County, Goochland County and Middlesex County. He was recognized as the 2017 Virginia Superintendent of the Year for his leadership in Goochland County. Dr. Lane holds a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in school administration from North Carolina State University, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Lane and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of two elementary school students in Chesterfield County.Duke StorenVirginia Department of Social ServicesDuke Storen serves as the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services. For nearly 30 years, Duke's academic and professional career has focused keenly on the alleviation of poverty. Prior to joining VDSS as Commissioner, Duke served as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Program Development at Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit working to end childhood hunger in America. Earlier in his career, Duke worked under two administrations at USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, in state government, and for a not-for-profit IT consulting firm helping federal and state governments leverage technology for the delivery of the health and human services.Duke spent a number of years at Rutgers University as a researcher, graduate student professor, and project director at the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. Duke also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Justice from the College of the Holy Cross and a Master of Arts in Public Policy from Rutgers University.Duke resides in Fredericksburg, VA with his wife, Barbara and their five children between the ages of 5 and 19. Duke's interests include youth sports, religion, cooking, social action, and human rights.Alison LandDivision of Behavioral Health and Developmental ServicesAlison Land was appointed by Governor Ralph Northam in December 2019 to serve as commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). Before her appointment to lead DBHDS, Mrs. Land served since 2015 as the Vice President for Behavioral Health Services for Sentara Healthcare, responsible for coordinating and implementing initiatives that improve access, quality, and efficiency in both the inpatient and outpatient settings within Behavioral Health.Previously, Mrs. Land served as the Vice President of Floyd Healthcare System in Rome, Georgia where she held responsibility for the Floyd Behavioral Health Center, and system level responsibility for functions including strategy, planning, quality, coordinated care, decision support, laboratory services, and the Floyd Centers of Excellence including joint, stroke, spine surgery, diabetes, and bariatric surgery.Mrs. Land is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on numerous committees and boards including Georgia State University’s Institute for Health Administration, The Free Clinic of Rome, Georgia Hospital Association, and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.Jennifer MacdonaldVirginia Department of HealthJennifer currently serves as the Director of the Division of Child and Family Health (DCFH) housed under the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Family Health Services. She provides oversight and guidance of multiple programs and federal grants including Title V-MCH, Title X and MIECHV. DCFH programs serve and support Virginia's citizens and families from the prenatal stage of life to those transitioning to adult care. Jennifer received her BSN from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia in 1996 and her MPH from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009. She has been employed with VDH since 2001, starting at the local health district level and then moving to the central office in 2007, concentrating her work in MCH programs, specifically newborn screening and birth defects surveillance before moving into her current position. Jennifer currently resides in Richmond, VA with her husband, Farley, and their two sons, Mac and Jay.Taundwa JeffriesHead Start State Collaboration OfficeTaundwa Jeffries joined the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) in December 2018 as the Administrator for Virginia’s Professional Development IMPACT Registry in the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Development. Currently, she has transitioned to the Virginia Department of Education as the Head Start State Collaboration Office Director facilitating partnerships with Head Start agencies and state entities that provide comprehensive services to eligible children and families in the Commonwealth.Before joining VDSS, Taundwa held various leadership roles in the Richmond Public Schools Early Head Start/ Head Start Program. She is a former Head Start parent, Early Childhood educator for multi-age classrooms of children from birth to three years old, a Kindergarten teacher, and a Family Services team member who has worked for twenty years with the Richmond Public Schools division. She holds a CDA with an Infant/Toddler endorsement, a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts, and a Masters of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Taundwa brings a wealth of experience working collaboratively with key stakeholders in the region to the department. ................
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