Building Bright Futures (BBF) announced today that Dr. Morgan Crossman, a native Vermonter from Rutland, has joined the organization as Executive Director. Crossman holds a PhD in Social Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, specializing in Child, Youth and Family Policy as well as Disability Policy, and a Masters in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology from the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Prior to joining BBF, she was appointed to the Harvard-wide Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. There she led many research studies focused on service integration and improving care transitions for children with special health care needs and their families as they navigate multiple complex service systems over the life course. She also held an appointment at Boston University School of Public Health where she taught graduate courses on children with special health care needs and preventing mental health disorders.
“Morgan’s proven leadership in the early childhood field, her knowledge of the importance of mental health, her clear commitment to the well-being of young children, and her enthusiasm for this new role make her a natural fit to be the next leader of BBF,” said Cheryle Wilcox, Interagency Planning Director at the Department of Mental Health and Co-Chair of BBF’s State Advisory Council.
“Morgan’s impressive career as a researcher and academic in this field positions her well to continue BBF’s leadership role in Vermont advising the Governor and Legislature on matters of early childhood,” continued David Young, also a Co-Chair of the State Advisory Council. “Her data- and research- driven approach will ensure that we continue to pursue strategies that move the needle for Vermont’s children and families.”
Crossman brings a wealth of experience in the early childhood sector. Morgan’s career is built around her expertise in child development, maternal and child health and well-being, early intervention and early childhood education for children with disabilities and special health care needs. She has an extensive background in the quantitative and qualitative research methods necessary to critically examine issues for Vermont’s youngest and most vulnerable children and families. Morgan’s research in this area has focused on understanding the impact of early intervention, early childhood education services and environmental factors, such as positive family relationships, on trajectories of child development and family well-being. Morgan worked with key stakeholders during all aspects of her research to identify emerging needs and the most effective approaches to ultimately improve the system of services, making her a natural fit for BBF and its role as a convener of early childhood experts from across disciplines.
“I’m excited to return to my home state of Vermont to collaborate with other early childhood leaders and build on the excellent work underway that impacts the well-being of Vermont’s children and families,” noted Crossman, BBF’s new Executive Director. “I’m looking forward to being a champion for children, in part, by building the capacity of Building Bright Futures to identify and utilize the most up-to-date, high quality data to inform key policy recommendations that will ultimately improve the system of services for children and families. This work will impact our state for years to come, and I look forward to working alongside our partners on pressing issues such as the quality and capacity of mental health services and the availability of high-quality, affordable child care for Vermont’s children and families while continuing to build the data infrastructure to inform service provision and policy.”
For a complete bio for Morgan Crossman, click here.
About Building Bright Futures
Building Bright Futures (BBF) is a nonprofit organization working to improve the wellbeing of young children and families in Vermont. We are a public-private partnership established by law to monitor the state’s early care, health and education systems and to advise the Administration and Legislature on early childhood policy. BBF serves as a statewide backbone organization, bringing early childhood stakeholders together to work collectively toward a coordinated, collaborative, and integrated early childhood system.