(Marica Cox Mitchell, Sharron Harrington, Aly Richards, and Michelle Kang)
Vermont Business Magazine National early childhood education (ECE) leaders Michelle Kang, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Marica Cox Mitchell, Chief Program Officer of the Bainum Family Foundation, joined Vermont early childhood education leaders on June 25 at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier to celebrate the leaders and advocates helping transform Vermont's child care system into one that works for children, families, and early childhood educators.
Michelle Kang and Marica Cox Mitchell joined the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) Executive Director, Sharron Harrington, to underscore Vermont’s growing national attention for advancing early childhood education. While headlines across the country highlight the ongoing crisis in child care access, affordability, and workforce retention, Vermont is seen as a state offering real solutions.
In her remarks, Mitchell called on the field to shift its mindset, saying, “We have to stop falling in love with the issues. Vermont is showing us what’s possible. This is a state with a reputation for problem solving.” She added, “When the history of this profession is written, your work will be part of that history.”
"This room is full of individuals who are driving the change we want to see in early childhood education in Vermont. This celebration was a reminder of the power of shared vision and sustained advocacy,” said Harrington.
Among those honored were Susan Titterton of Elmore and LouAnn Beninati of Essex, recognized for their years of leadership development among Vermont’s early childhood education workforce. Special recognition was given to the Advancing the Profession Task Force, a dedicated group led by Susan Titterton, who for seven years engaged in a workforce outreach project to design a profession informed by the expertise and experience of people in the early childhood education workforce. Task Force members included Beth Traver Adolphus of Pownal; Laura Butler of Milton; Stacie Curtis; Cadence Di Masi of Burlington; Kim Freeman of Brattleboro; Christina Goodwin of Burlington; Alyson Grzyb of Bennington; Tammy Hazlett of Thetford; Kelly Hayes of Moretown; Marla Ionello; April Zajko of St. Johnsbury; Laurie Metcalfe of Manchester Center; Meghan Meszkat of Bennington; Jen Olson of New Haven; Lisa Pike of Bradford; Staci Otis of Springfield; Susan Torncello of Burlington; Lorraine Vernet of Morrisville; Nicole Walker of Stowe; and Su White of Middlebury.
About VTAEYC
The Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children advances excellence and equity in early childhood education as the state’s largest membership organization for early childhood educators and is the state affiliate of NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children. As a nonprofit organization formed by a grassroots effort 50+ years ago and now with nearly 700 members, VTAEYC offers advocacy, workforce development, professional development and other resources to its membership and others in the early childhood education field. VTAEYC aims to meet the needs of today’s early childhood education workforce and create a stronger, more equitable early childhood education system for the future.
Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children vtaeyc.org
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