Project Leadership
These are the people leading the work to advance early childhood education as a profession in Vermont.
All service is 2020-present unless noted.
The Task Force
The Task Force is made up of early childhood educator leaders who represent the diversity of Vermont’s regions and ECE settings.
We make recommendations for how Vermont could align with The Unifying Framework .
Beth Traver Adolphus
Executive Director
Oak Hill Children's Center
Joined 2023
Pownal, VT
Cadence Di Masi
Early Childhood Educator
Pine Forest Children's Center
Joined 2023
Burlington, VT
Christina Goodwin
Director
Pine Forest Children's Center
Joined 2019
Burlington, VT
Jen Olson
Preschool Teacher
Wren's Nest Forest Preschool
Joined 2019
New Haven, VT
Kelly Hayes
Regional Manager, Central Vermont and Lamoille Valley
Building Bright Futures
Joined 2019
Moretown, VT
Kim Freeman
ECE Career and Technical Educator
Windham Regional Career Center
Joined 2019
Brattleboro, VT
Laura Butler
Imagination Island
Joined 2019
Milton, VT
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Laurie Metcalfe
Executive Director
Northshire Day School
Joined 2023
Manchester Center, VT
Lisa Pike
Director
VCP Children's Center
Joined 2023
Bradford, VT
Meghan Meszkat
Early Childhood Education Director
Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union
Joined 2019
Bennington, VT
Nicole Walker
Director
Apple Tree Learning Centers
Joined 2023
Stowe, VT
Staci Otis
Little Allstars Childcare and Preschool
Joined 2019
Springfield, VT
Su White
Director
Quarry Hill School
Joined 2019
Middlebury, VT
Susan Torncello
Educator
Emerit Faculty
University of Vermont
Joined 2019
Burlington, VT
Tammie Hazlett
Family Child Care Provider
Joined 2019
Thetford, VT
Alyson Grzyb
Director
Bennington Early Childhood Center
Served 2019 - Oct. 2023
Bennington, VT
April Zajko
April's Teaching Tree
Served 2019-June 2023
St. Johnsbury, VT
Lorraine Vernet
Logistical Support
Served 2019-Nov 2022
Morrisville, VT
Marla Ionello
Coordinator, Early Education Student Services
Orange East Supervisory Union
Served 2019-June 2021
Stacie Curtis
Director of Early Education
Burlington School District
Served 2019-June 2022
Supporting Our Workforce
“How will this affect me?”
Task Force members are today’s early childhood educators. We think it’s essential that any policy to create an ECE Profession makes sure our current workforce is well supported throughout the implementation period.
For more, see the Unifying Framework section Phased-In Implementation that Honors the Existing and Future Workforce, which describes:
- Honoring and including early childhood educators working in all settings, recognizing their diversity, dedication, and experience
- Policies that may include exemptions and waivers, crediting early childhood educators for their experience and offering flexible ways to show readiness for a license to practice
- A phased-in timeline for any education or qualification requirements, accompanied by additional public investments and extensive supports
- Reliance on implementation science
- On behalf of children, families, and early childhood educators, ensuring policymakers respect “Nothing about us without us” Â
Project Outreach and Coordination
The Outreach Coordinator and Project Coordinator engage Vermont's early childhood education workforce and facilitate Vermont's work toward alignment with The Unifying Framework. We are key members of the Task Force, Core Team, and other teams.
Rachel Hunter
Outreach Coordinator
Rachel is an early childhood educator and career-long advocate for young children. She has supported quality initiatives in both private and public education systems. Her service on state committees and advisory boards includes a gubernatorial appointment to the Blue Ribbon Commission on Financing High Quality, Affordable Child Care. Deeply engaged with Vermont’s early childhood educators, Rachel leads Advancing as a Profession info sessions throughout the state.
Susan Titterton
Project Coordinator
Susan is a consultant who led the original workforce engagement project to gauge Vermont early childhood educators’ will to advance as a profession, and has since managed the project to advance ECE as a recognized profession. Over a career in education she worked as a para-educator, teacher, counselor, principal, and trainer, and with populations ranging from preschoolers to principals.
The Core Team
The Core Team includes representatives from stakeholder agencies and networks, funders, and consultants
who make sure our initiative has the financing, strategy, support, and other resources it needs to succeed.
Becky Millard
Director
Northern Lights at CCV
Montpelier, VT
Beth Wallace
Associate Director of ECE Engagement
VTAEYC
North Bennington, VT
Kaitlin Northey
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT
Katie Titterton
Clear Spot Communications Consulting
Richmond, VT
Maria Estlund
NAEYC State Policy Specialist
Sharron Harrington
Executive Director
VTAEYC
Arlington, VT
Paula Nadeau
ECE Workforce Development Specialist
VTAEYC
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Waterbury, VT
Sherry Carlson
Chief Programs Officer
Let's Grow Kids
Burlington, VT
Dianne Carter
Project Implementation Coordinator
VTAEYC
Served 2019-June 2022
Janet McLaughlin
Former Executive Director
VTAEYC
Served 2021-March 2023
Lorraine Vernet
Let's Grow Kids
Logistical Support
Served 2019-Nov. 2022
Nation-leading work
Vermont is one of a handful of states NAEYC recognizes as an “early adopter” in our work to implement the recommendations of The Unifying Framework. Unlike our sister states, Vermont’s project is workforce-led.
In 2023, NAEYC CEO Michelle Kang attended VTAEYC’s Annual Conference and described Vermont as a national leader in early childhood education.
NAEYC and its affiliates are watching to see how our workforce-led, consensus-based efforts could be used as a model in other states.
Design Teams
Five Design Teams convened in 2021 to create, test, and make recommendations on model components of a professional early childhood education system. Design teams are made up of project leaders and stakeholders from Vermont's early childhood education ecosystem. Most teams were active 2021-2022; the Establishing Equivalence Process is ongoing.
Establishing Equivalence Process
Designs a process that fairly and accurately values the work experience of today’s early childhood educators, with additional flexible supports to help educators meet the professional qualifications for ECE I, ECE II, or ECE III. Advisors are listed below; many more early childhood educators volunteered to participate in the pilot.
- Jenny Stearns
- Susan Titterton
- Alyson Grzyb
- Christina Goodwin
- Rachel Hunter
- Staci Otis
- Tammie Hazlett
Career Pathways
Reimagines a streamlined career ladder with a structure of three professional early childhood education designations (ECE I, ECE II, ECE II)
- Dianne Carter
- Becky Millard
- Betsy Rathbun-Gunn
- Alyson Grzyb
- Sonja Raymond
- Staci Otis
ECE Preparation Pathways Study Group
Collaborates across institutions to create seamless pathways for early childhood educators within Vermont institutions of higher education.
- Kaitie Northey, University of Vermont
- Angela Sillars, Castleton/VSU
- Becky Millard, Northern Lights at CCV
- Diane Hermann-Artim, Community College of Vermont
- Heather Duhamel, Northern Vermont University/VSU
- Jenny Stearns, St. Michael’s College
- Laurel Bongiorno, Champlain College
- Manuela Fonseca, Vermont Higher Education Collaborative
- Marina Cole, Step Up to Childcare
- Robin Ploof, Champlain College
Minimum Compensation Standard
Designs a minimum compensation standard that appropriately compensates early childhood educators at each designation (ECE I, ECE II, ECE III).
- Janet McLaughlin
- Sherry Carlson
- Jen Horwitz, Let’s Grow Kids
- Katie Salina, Let’s Grow Kids
ECE I Preparation Pathways
Strategizes outreach, partnerships, and support to help future early childhood educators find their way into the profession.
- Dianne Carter
- Kim Freeman
- Diane Hermann-Artim
- Sharron Harrington
- Paula Nadeau
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