As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I wanted to share how it is important for us all to reflect on women’s progress in the business world and the importance of supporting and empowering women-owned businesses, particularly in the early childhood education sector.
For decades, women have fought for equality in the workplace and have made significant strides in breaking down barriers and glass ceilings. Women-owned businesses have played a vital role in this fight, creating jobs and driving innovation while inspiring a new generation of women entrepreneurs. During my early teens, I was fortunate to have several mentors who saw potential in me and inspired me to pursue leadership roles. These mentors were pivotal in shaping my future. As I pursued an undergraduate degree at CUNY York College, I found encouragement from the entire Political Science Department, who believed in me and encouraged me to take on more leadership roles, including working for Congressman Gregory Meeks.
Women-owned businesses are essential not only for their economic impact but also for the values they embody. Women tend to prioritize social responsibility, community involvement, and diversity in their businesses, which can lead to a more equitable and sustainable future for all. Despite the many benefits of women-owned businesses, we still face numerous challenges. According to the National Women’s Business Council, women entrepreneurs often struggle to access capital and resources and face societal and cultural biases against women in leadership positions.
Women-owned businesses serve as role models for young girls and women who may not have considered entrepreneurship as a viable career path. By owning their businesses, women can create their own paths to success.
As a female entrepreneur and advocate for early childhood education, I have seen firsthand the power of women-owned businesses in creating positive change in our communities. I have made it one of my missions to help other women become owners of their own early childhood education centers.
Unfortunately, sometimes you must fail before you succeed. My path has not been easy. When I opened my first home-based childcare center while in college, I saw the need for a better support system in early childhood education. I was not prepared for the challenges I would face. I had to close that center, but I am grateful for this journey as it led me to open my current center, The Innovative Daycare Corp (NY), which is thriving.
I serve on the advisory committee for the nation’s preeminent early childhood education signal of quality and standards, the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. Serving on this committee has allowed me to encourage other women to raise their voices and advocate for one another. I have also been able to provide valuable insights and recommendations that help shape policies and practices that benefit all early childhood educators. Earning the CDA myself has given me the knowledge and unique skills to support the betterment of my students and myself.
Early childhood education is a highly demanding profession that requires extensive education, training, and experience. Unfortunately, many early childhood educators struggle to make ends meet due to low wages and lack of benefits such as health insurance, paid sick leave, and retirement plans. My salary is almost always sacrificed to sustain my center and support my staff, whom I value tremendously.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, 94% of early childhood educators in the United States were women. This overrepresentation of women in the profession contributes to the perception that it is not a respected profession, as women’s work is often undervalued and underpaid. Just last month, CNBC reported that early childhood education is among the top 10 worst-paying college majors. It is essential to address these gender disparities and provide early childhood educators with the recognition and support they deserve.
Women-owned businesses are vital to the economic and social fabric of our society. As we celebrate women not just Women’s History Month, let us recognize the contributions of women entrepreneurs and commit to supporting and empowering them in their journeys. Doing so can create a brighter future for all women and girls.
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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.
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