nafcc.org -

  Term: 2010-2013

Election Bio — When I hear the word childcare, I feel like I have been a provider all my life. I am the oldest of 10 brothers and sisters. As an older sister, I provided care for my siblings for numerous years. My sisters used to say they knew I was going to be a teacher; every time we played school, I insisted on being the teacher.

When I was in high school, I babysat and became a nanny, living the summers away from home. After high school, I went into Early Childhood at a local technical college as a teacher's aide and then a teacher at a local childcare center and Head Start while raising two children of my own. I continued providing childcare and became a foster mother and a mentor for troubled teens. I have worked with children from newborns to age 18.

I’ve become certified, licensed, and nationally accredited over 25 years. I joined a local childcare association, a state association, a national association and enjoyed advocating for children. I have held positions from Secretary, Regional Rep to Vice-President for numerous childcare association boards. Those of us who are in this world to educate – to care for – young children have a special calling, a calling that has very little to do with the collection of expensive possessions; it has a lot to do with worth inside heads and hearts.

Traveling to conferences and meeting people from all over the world who have a commitment as strong as I do has inspired me to continue with my calling. Since helping put together the president's council for NAFCC about four years ago, I got interested in working with not only Wisconsin, but other local states as well. This is why I would like to be a volunteer for Region 5 for NAFCC. Each one of us here has people who have helped us come this far in our lives. Nobody gets to be a competent human being without investment in others. My feeling is that we allow ourselves to give who we really are to the children in our care; we will in some way inspire cartwheels in their hearts. What great professions we are all in together.

I hope you will give me the chance to continue advocating and representing working with your state reps for the NAFCC. I feel every state should be represented at the table.