Setting Early Childhood Education Career Goals
SPONSORED BLOG The task of sitting down and writing out all of your early childhood education career goals can feel daunting. Where should you start? How far in the future should you plan? And, once...
Welcome to the EELC Corner. This is the place to discover the latest updates on the premier conference in ECE. This year’s Early Educators Leadership Conference will focus on the timely theme: Leading Career Pathways to Equity. Join us as we encourage, educate and elevate those in our field who are doing so much to lift our children up.
Our retreat-style conference will offer nearly 30 sessions custom tailored to your interests and concerns. You will gain inspiration and vital information on how to improve your daily work with children, families and colleagues. You’ll also learn ways to be at your best for them in cutting-edge sessions on self-care. Check out some of the sessions that are being offered.
And you can catch some rays while you enrich your life since this year’s conference will be held in Orlando, FL, on October 5-8. This year’s host hotel is the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. This lovely, family-friendly resort is close to many local attractions, so think about arriving early or extending your stay to take advantage of all the area has to offer.
Now is the Time to Register
Registrations are being secured at a rapid pace and space is limited. We encourage you to register before June 30, 2022. The registration cost will increase starting July 1, 2022. We look forward to welcoming you at the 2022 EELC!
EELC Scholarship News
If you’d like to join us at this year’s conference, we have great news for you! The Council is offering scholarships. Find out who is eligible, learn how to apply and be sure to share the information. Hurry and apply the deadline for applications is May 6.
Calling All PD Specialists
As a PD Specialist, you lead rising teachers to reach new heights in their careers. Get the inspiration you need to fill this important role. Come to the next PDS Symposium, where we’ll explore a theme geared to you: Leadership Is Not a Gamble—Roll the D.I.C.E. (Diversity, Inclusion, Compassion and Equity). The symposium will take place on October 5, 2022, and is included with your EELC registration. More details are still in store, but you can count on one thing. The PDS Symposium is a sure bet to boost your leadership skills.
Become an EELC Sponsor
Come to the 2022 Early Childhood Educators Leadership Conference. It’s a chance to meet over 200 national and international leaders, policymakers, early childhood professionals, institutions of higher ed and early childhood training groups. They’ll all be under one roof and ready to explore vital issues in ECE. Don’t miss the chance to be part of the discussion. Show your commitment to our field by joining forces with us at the 2022 EELC.
Brand-New Post Conference Event: ECE Practitioner Day 2022
Get set for a full day geared toward the support and well-being of CDA professionals and practitioners in the ECE field. Attend sessions on professional development, health and self-care, along with the chance to network with your peers. Practitioner Day will take place on October 8, 2022. Come early and take advantage of the special rates. If you are interested in presenting at this event, the Council is accepting proposals. Submit your proposal to inspire and support this community of practitioners
SPONSORED BLOG The task of sitting down and writing out all of your early childhood education career goals can feel daunting. Where should you start? How far in the future should you plan? And, once...
Shinichi Suzuki believed that “all children have the ability at birth to become persons of high ability,” and held a “Grand Concert” to convince the world it was true. On a sunny day in 1955,...
To our followers – We want to bring your attention to an important matter regarding communication from the Council for Professional Recognition. Recently, a Facebook account impersonating the Council for Professional Recognition responded to people...
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re embarking on professional development (PD) to meet state requirements, or you want to invest in your own growth, PD has a number of benefits. First, it helps ensure you’re keeping up...
In the world of early childhood education, there’s a remarkable achievement that more people should know about – earning a Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™. The Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit that supports early...
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re just starting out in the early childhood field, or you’ve been teaching for years, chances are you’ve heard the term CDA at least a few times. The Child Development Associate® (CDA)...
SPONSORED BLOG Excitement. Jitters. Uncertainty. The new school year comes with a multitude of emotions and challenges — but thankfully there are things you can do ahead of time to prepare and ensure it’s the...
Language and literacy skills are fundamental building blocks for a child’s development, enabling effective communication, social interaction, and academic success throughout grade school and beyond. For young children with disabilities, however, traditional educational models may...
The Council for Professional Recognition’s Council Alumni Network (CAN) recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. This free community boasts 1200+ members. CAN is a diverse group of stakeholders in early childhood education (ECE) across the U.S....
Vice President of People and Culture
Janie Payne is the Vice President of People and Culture for the Council for Professional Recognition. Janie is responsible for envisioning, developing, and executing initiatives that strategically manage talent and culture to align people strategies with the overarching business vision of the Council. Janie is responsible for driving organizational excellence through strategic talent practices, orchestrating workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management as well as a myriad of other Human Resources Programs. She is accountable for driving effectiveness by shaping organizational structure for optimal efficiency. Janie oversees strategies that foster a healthy culture to include embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the organization.
In Janie’s prior role, she was the Vice President of Administration at Equal Justice Works, where she was responsible for leading human resources, financial operations, facilities management, and information technology. She was also accountable for developing and implementing Equal Justice Works Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on attracting diverse, mission-oriented talent and creating an inclusive and equitable workplace environment. With more than fifteen years of private, federal, and not-for-profit experience, Janie is known for her intuitive skill in administration management, human resources management, designing and leading complex system change, diversity and inclusion, and social justice reform efforts.
Before joining Equal Justice Works, Janie was the Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Communities, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of integrated HR and diversity strategies. Her work impacted employees in over twenty-two countries. She was responsible for the effective management of different cultural, legal, regulatory, and economic systems for both domestic and international employees. Prior to Global Communities, Janie enjoyed a ten-year career with the federal government. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, she held key strategic human resources positions with multiple cabinet-level agencies and served as an advisor and senior coach to leaders across the federal sector. In these roles, she received recognition from management, industry publications, peers, and staff for driving the creation and execution of programs that created an engaged and productive workforce.
Janie began her career with Verizon Communications (formerly Bell Atlantic), where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility, where she directed a diversity program that resulted in significant improvement in diversity profile measures. Janie was also a faculty member for the company’s Black Managers Workshop, a training program designed to provide managers of color with the skills needed to overcome barriers to their success that were encountered because of race. She initiated a company-wide effort to establish team-based systems and structures to impact corporate bottom line results which was recognized by the Department of Labor. Janie was one of the first African American women to be featured on the cover of Human Resources Executive magazine.
Janie received her M.A. in Organization Development from American University. She holds numerous professional development certificates in Human Capital Management and Change Management, including a Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resources certificate from Cornell University. She completed the year-long Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program sponsored by The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. She is a trained mediator and Certified Professional Coach. She is a graduate of Leadership America, former board chair of the NTL Institute and currently co-steward of the organization’s social justice community of practice, and a member of The Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Janie is the Board Chairperson for the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council for Prince Georges County where she is active in developing partnerships that facilitate discussion between parents, families, educators, community leaders, and the PG County school administration to enhance services for students with disabilities which is her passion. She and her husband Randolph reside in Fort Washington Maryland.
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.
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.