Early Childhood Advisory Council
About the Council
Governor Cooper established the North Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council (NCECAC) through Executive Order 40 in February 2018.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary, NC Department of Health and Human Services, chairs the Council, which includes 25 members appointed by the Governor from education (from early childhood through higher education), as well as representatives from business, government, research, philanthropy, health care, mental health, social services, and parents.
The foundation for future learning, health, and well-being is built during early childhood. The NCECAC supported the NC Early Childhood Action Plan released on February 27, 2019 that lays out a bold vision and roadmap for how the state can create better futures for our young children by 2025. Read more about the plan HERE.
On March 18, 2019, members of the NCECAC wrote to the North Carolina General Assembly to urge them to support Medicaid expansion to help young children and families. The letter recommends increasing access to health care coverage for more adults across the state as a way to ensure more of North Carolina's babies are born healthy and grow up to stay healthy. Read the letter HERE.
Council Members
| Name | Title | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Susan Butler-Staub | Instructor of Early Childhood Education | Piedmont Community College |
| Dr. Lisa Chapman | President | Central Carolina Community College |
| Dr. Mandy Cohen | Secretary | NC Department of Health and Human Services |
| Gerald "Jerry" M. Croan | Senior Fellow | Third Sector Capital Partners, Inc. |
| Terry David | Director of Head Start and Early Head Start Programs | Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project |
| Stephanie Fanjul | Retired | |
| Dr. Laura Gerald | President | Kate B. Reynolds Foundation |
| Eric Hart | Head, Properties Department | Triad Stage |
| Kathy Higgins | CEO | Healthier Generation |
| Velva Jenkins | Consultant | |
| Dr. Dore LaForett | Researcher | Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute |
| Dr. Kelly Maxwell | Senior Research Scientist | Child Trends |
| Karen McKnight | Director | Head Start - State Collaboration Office |
| Susan Perry | Principal Deputy Secretary | NC Department of Health and Human Services |
| Mamie "Bernadette" Rogers | Director/Owner | Smiling Faces Childcare Center |
| Meka Sales | Director of Special Initiatives | Duke Endowment |
| Janet Singerman | President | Child Care Resources, Inc. |
| Dr. Betsey Tilson | State Health Director | NC Department of Health and Human Services |
| Banu Valladares | Executive Director | Charlotte Bilingual Preschool |
| Kristin Walker | Deputy Director of State Budget | NC Office of State Budget and Management |
| Cindy Watkins | President | NC Partnership for Children |
| Michelle Winstead | Director | New Hanover Department of Social Services |