Connecting and Celebrating FCC Leaders in Louisiana
Louisiana State Representative Cierra Amar hosted a successful Meet and Greet that brought together family child care educators and community leaders. DC State Representative Cynthia Davis showed strong support, alongside leaders from NAFCC’s Leaders Shaping Leaders LA cohort, reinforcing the power of partnership and shared leadership. The day closed with inspiring words of affirmation and motivation from Zakenya Neely, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Market Solutions for NAFCC, leaving attendees energized and encouraged. Cierra also shared toys and gift cards with FCC educators as a token of appreciation—marking a strong start to NAFCC leadership engagement in Louisiana.
Exploring Care as a Public Good in Colombia
Francia Wisnewski, Director of Membership and Community Engagement, represented NAFCC as part of a 15-person U.S. delegation to Colombia focused on exploring care as a public good. Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dalberg, and the Institute of International Education, the visit highlighted innovative care systems in Bogotá and Medellín that center equity, access, and dignity for care workers. The experience offered valuable insights and lessons that can help strengthen and inform care systems in the United States.
Advancing Education Justice in Louisiana
Mischell Davis, NAFCC Leader’s Shaping Leaders (LSL) Policy Program Regional Manager for Louisiana, kicked off November by participating in the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) Issues Forum in New Orleans. This year’s forum, Miles to Go: The Road to Education Justice, highlighted the enduring impact of systemic inequities in education and the ongoing efforts to advance equity across the South.
Engaging the Community on Early Care & Education in Louisiana
On November 12, the Louisiana Power Coalition hosted an Early Care & Education Community Listening Session, bringing together families, educators, and community members to discuss challenges and opportunities in local early childhood systems. Key topics included the role of family child care as an educational option, access to IEP support services, training for educators to meet the needs of children on the spectrum, workforce investment and turnover, and transportation barriers for students.
NAFCC Elevates Family Child Care in Washington, DC
Erica Phillips, NAFCC Executive Director, served as a panelist in Washington, DC at a convening hosted by the Stranahan Foundation. She joined leaders from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, and the Trust for Ideal Learning to discuss investment strategies and priorities in early care and education. The panel highlighted growing philanthropic interest in family child care and the critical role NAFCC plays in supporting and strengthening the sector.
Celebrating Latino Leadership in Early Childhood Education
Andrea Maldonado, NAFCC Director of Quality Assessment and Recognition, participated as a panelist in the Leadership Initiative at the CUNY School of Professional Studies in New York City. The panel, themed “El Poder de la UNIDAD” (The Power of Unity), centered on the importance of connection, collaboration, and shared leadership in early childhood education.
As the first event of its kind, the convening was intentionally designed to celebrate, elevate, and connect Latino leadership in ECE. The event also featured guest speaker Dr. Calvin Moore from the Council for Professional Recognition, highlighting the value of partnership and collective impact in strengthening the early childhood workforce.
Engaging with Leaders at CareFest
Erica Phillips, NAFCC Executive Director, attended CareFest in New York, joining a powerful lineup of speakers, advocates, and partners committed to advancing care and early childhood systems. The event provided an opportunity to connect with peers, share insights, and engage in meaningful conversations focused on strengthening the care workforce and elevating family child care.
LSL Louisiana Wraps Up Year of Community Engagement
Led by Mischell Davis, NAFCC Leader’s Shaping Leaders (LSL) Policy Program Regional Manager for Louisiana, LSL Louisiana concluded its final in-person Light Up Louisiana Meet Up of 2025, creating space for connection, resource sharing, and community engagement. Local FCC leaders Daniel Varnado, Dacia Dumas, and Danielle Poree attended to receive session care packages and connect with one another in person.
Advancing Family Child Care at the Build Conference in Los Angeles
Zakenya Neely, NAFCC Director of Strategic Partnerships and Market Solutions, & Louisiana State Representative Cierra Amar presented at the Build Conference in Los Angeles on “A Critical Piece of the Early Learning Puzzle: Advancing Family Child Care Through Systems Change.” The session highlighted strategies for strengthening family child care within broader early learning systems.
NAFCC’s team also included Andrea Maldonado, Director of Quality Assessment and Recognition, and President-Elect Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, who participated in the convening, contributing their insights on quality improvement and systems-level support for family child care.
Engaging Oklahoma Leaders on Family Child Care
Erica Phillips, NAFCC Executive Director, spoke with Oklahoma State Legislators during the Oklahoma State Legislature Retreat, organized by the Hunt Institute, and provided an opportunity to highlight the value of family child care and explore policy solutions to strengthen the workforce. She also spent the morning visiting an amazing family child care program in Oklahoma City.
Supporting State Leaders on Inclusive FCC Systems
Yesy Robles-Brown, NAFCC Chief of Staff, and Mischell Davis, NAFCC LSL Policy Program Regional Manager for Louisiana, participated in the National Early Care and Education Workforce Center: Learning Through Action Lab. They provided consultation to state administrators and system leaders from Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, focusing on strategies to build inclusive and equitable systems for family child care. The session highlighted the importance of collaboration and shared expertise in strengthening early childhood systems nationwide.
Building Community with Early Care and Education Advocates
Daphne Alsiyao, NAFCC Policy Strategist, attended the 38th Annual National, State, & Grassroots Child Care & Early Learning Advocates’ Convening in December 2025. The retreat brought together advocates to share insights, regroup, and plan strategies for countering threats to the early care system while advancing a positive policy agenda.
Event highlights:
- Pictured with Shemik Sellars, FCC Director in Virginia and NAFCC Policy Fellow
- Pictured with Whitney Pesek, Senior Director of Federal Child Care Policy, National Women’s Law Center, and Leticia Mederos, Partner at Actum, LLC and NAFCC Policy Consultant
Launch of Bilingual NAFCC Observer Training in Maryland
The Maryland-based NAFCC Observer Training marked a historic milestone with the launch of its first bilingual cohort of Observer candidates. This training brought together local leadership and national expertise through a partnership between NAFCC, the Latino Child Care Association of Maryland, and Montgomery College, aiming to expand access, advance equity, and strengthen quality across family child care. Participants included leaders and advocates such as Maria Flores, Rosanna Espinoza-Thorndal, and Nelida Andres, alongside NAFCC staff members Elizabeth Mua and Rosa Valenzuela Reyes, all contributing to the success of this groundbreaking initiative.
