Meet the 2025 Candidates

Vice President Candidate

I am running for the position of Vice President of MOAEYC, a role I have held for the past two years. I hold a deep appreciation for NAEYC and MOAEYC and their missions, and I am passionate about supporting families and advancing early childhood education. In addition to serving as Vice President, I have been a board member-at-large and have led a local MOAEYC Chapter in Rolla. My other volunteer commitments include being a school board member for Newburg Public Schools and serving on the Council for Exceptional Children's DEC board for Missouri.

Currently, I am a public-school teacher, instructing a peer model classroom for 3-5-year-olds, which includes typically developing children and children with special needs. With 19 years of teaching experience, my background also includes roles such as director for Parents as Teachers, First Steps provider, and Read From the Start presenter for Missouri Humanities. Additionally, I am an Adjunct Professor at Missouri S&T, holding a Master's degree in Educational Administration from Missouri Baptist University and an Educational Specialist's degree.

I am highly interested in developing a toolkit for new chapters to recruit members and support the growth of their chapter. I am dedicated to recruitment and retention efforts for the organization and committed to having a professional entity that advocates for families, children, educators and workers in the field.

Secretary Candidate  

I am a past board member of MOAEYC, and I am running for the position of Secretary.  I am currently a faculty member in ECE/ECSE with a doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I have extensive experience providing TA, practice-based coaching, and professional development in various educational settings and over two decades of experience working to ensure that all children—especially those with diverse abilities and from under-resourced communities—have access to high-quality early learning experiences.

I have experience as a classroom teacher, early interventionist, and inclusion specialist. I have served in leadership positions on local, state, and national professional organizations. I currently serve as the President of Missouri Division of Early Childhood, focused on Early Childhood Special Education. I bring experience in advocacy, policy writing, and collaboration with state and federal partners in the field.

My expertise includes early childhood education/special education, inclusive/blended programs, professional development/workforce development, systems-level policy and advocacy, IDEA Part B/Part C service delivery, and Education Law. My research focused on family-centered practices, family engagement, and evidence-based teaching practices.  My aim is to contribute to state-level advocacy and support for ECE practitioners, families, and children across the state.