December 12, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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For more than 20 years, Alicia Pugh has been a steady, solutions-driven presence in Maryland’s early education community. She began her career in 2005 as a family child care provider—following in the footsteps of her mother—and later opened her own … Continue reading
September 25, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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When Puaʻena Vierra-Villanueva introduces herself, she always begins in ʻŌlelo Hawai‘i—Hawaiian Language. This intentional choice reflects the deep responsibility she feels to honor her cultural identity and the generations that came before her—especially her great-grandmother, who was the last native … Continue reading
July 18, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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Early Education Leaders held its first statewide conference, “Growing Big Ideas for the Way Forward: Continuous Quality Improvement in Early Education” at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa in June, marking an important milestone in our ongoing partnership to bring … Continue reading
July 9, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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By the time she was 21, Trina Tilghman-Dix had lost both her parents and she found herself raising her teenage brother while still navigating her own grief. That early experience of being thrust into leadership shaped Tilghman’s nearly 30-year career … Continue reading
July 2, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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Sarah Roebuck has wanted to be a teacher from the time she entered kindergarten as a “scared little kid” and encountered a “really nice teacher.” “In my mind and in my heart, this really nice teacher was the answer to … Continue reading
June 10, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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At the 2025 Early Educator Leadership Forum, Christina Lopez invited attendees to pause, look around, and recognize the power in the room. A longtime early childhood educator, advocate, and president of the Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children, … Continue reading
June 10, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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At this year’s Early Educator Leadership Forum, Latrelle Nicholson reminded us of a hard truth: bullying can begin as early as age three—and it can deeply undermine a child’s sense of safety, belonging, and capacity to learn. But her message … Continue reading
June 10, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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Sarah Roebuck took the stage at the 2025 Early Educator Leadership Forum wearing a dress made of newspaper clippings celebrating early educator achievements that offered a bold visual reminder that early childhood educators are making headlines—and making change. A graduate … Continue reading
June 6, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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A new study from Early Education Leaders, an Institute at UMass Boston, has found that leadership development programs for early educators can be successfully scaled while maintaining impact—and even expanding equity. The peer-reviewed study, recently published in a special issue … Continue reading
April 15, 2025
by earlyedinstitute
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Adriana Batista-Guerra didn’t always see herself as a leader. The self-described introvert began her early education career as a family childcare provider and assumed leadership meant “picking up a banner” and advocating at the State House—activities well outside her comfort … Continue reading