Meet the Speakers | Leaders Lounge

OUR AWESOME LINEUP

These world-class experts have the best tips, tricks, and strategies to help you build a thriving, profitable childcare business or preschool ministry. Each of these speakers normally charge consulting rates from $300-2,000 an hour. We say this not to impress you, but to show you the value of what they will share with you. And they are ready to help you move forward on your journey in your wellness biz.

Early Childhood Consultant | School Director

Cori Berg

Cori Berg has been in the field of early childhood education for over 25 years as a teacher, trainer, director, and consultant. She excels at speaking about supporting the teams of programs as well as communities, with an emphasis on compassion and resilience.

Cori is the founder of ECE by Cori Berg. During the COVID-19 crisis, she kept her non-profit center in Dallas, Texas open for pandemic care. During that time, she created a community to support other EC professions, and has a heart for helping them thrive. Cori Has a bachelor’s degree and received her ECE teaching credential from California State University – East Bay.

Topic: Embracing Hope through Resilience and Compassion

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress, adversity, failure, challenges, or even trauma. Our children have been exposed to varying degrees of trauma during the COVID-19 crisis, but having worked tirelessly offering pandemic care, Cori Berg understands the importance of building resilience and inspiring hope. In this workshop, you get actionable tips to build strong connections and inspire hope.

Ashley Binns

Ashley Binns is a Childcare Business Automation Strategy Consultant. First and foremost she is a lover of all things God, a Mom, Wife, Former Childcare Business Owner and entrepreneur. She began my journey in the early childcare hood education field back in 2001 as a preschool. Over the ten years she ran her childcare business, she learned what NOT TO DO, and also learned WHAT TO DO to ensure success! And that was basically Automating EVERYTHING in her childcare business! AUTOMATION changed her business and her life, and she is excited to share them with you. It’s her passion, to help Early Childhood Administrators, Preschool Directors and Center Owners ensure that they are running a childcare businesses that offer quality care to children and families, yet at the same time, she want owners to ensure that they are also taking care of themselves in the process of running their Childcare Business.

Topic: Your 4-hour workday using Childcare Business Automation: The Key to a Great Work-life Balance

I remember running my center and working 55+ hours a week and longed for the day that I could reduce my working hours to 25-30 and have off on Fridays AND still run a quality center.

I am SO EXCITED to present and introduce to you the SECRET to having that 4-hour workday using Childcare Business Automation! It is possible to run a center or school that not only serves children and families but also serves you and your family as well!

If you are ready to learn how to go from a Director role to a CEO/Owner role, then this training is for you!

Childcare Business Automation Strategy Consultant

CEO - BonAccord Creative

Brenda Cadman

Brenda Cadman is a website and Canva educator and owns Bon Accord Creative, a website development company based in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada. She’s also the host of The Create a Better Website Podcast. After spending two decades supporting small businesses with their websites, Brenda now has a keen interest and focus on helping to empower small business owners to build their own website confidence and to learn how to effectively use Canva to support their businesses. She has launched several digital courses as well. Brenda has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Simon Fraser University

Topic: Intro to Canva: 5 Steps to Avoid Overwhelm in this SIMPLE Design Program

Canva is a drag-and-drop online graphic design tool that allows users to create social media designs, presentations, posters, infographics, and more..You'll learn some of the strategies you can use to make Canva feel less overwhelming and to set your business up for a more successful Canva experience.

How to shift your mindset when working with Canva to reduce overwhelm
Best practices for getting (and staying!) organized when using your Canva account
The 4 keys components of your Canva brand kit and how to use them to create consistently on-brand graphics
The shortcut you'll want to consider if Canva's free templates aren't hitting the right mark for your designs
How to ensure you get the support you need when you have Canva questions in the future

Shenikwa Cager

Shenikwa Cager is a lover of God, people and the pursuit of life purpose. Having a passion for communicating principles with a refreshingly relevant and practical approach, her desire is to see people come to a full understanding of who they are. Her use of humor, practical applications and personal examples from her life to interact and engage her audience encourages them to embrace the person God created them to be. Shenikwa is the co-author of, The Inheritance: Accepting Your Daily Gift of Grace. This devotional leads you on a fascinating 40-day journey into “the incomparable riches of God’s grace.” Shenikwa also serves as the Creative Director and Teacher/Speaker for Sheila B. Ministries. She is the founder of a social networking site, “That Wife Life”, where wives have a safe place to encourage each other and discuss important issues .

Topic: Building Bridges to Racial Equality + Inclusion

This session will offer some encouragement and truth to help navigate this time of tension in our country. Join our host Beth Cannon as she and long time friend Shenikwa Cager delve into the current issues and give actionable steps to create unity in your community. It feels like freedom to be able to sit down and really listen and understand. Whether are are marching, reaching out to your friends in support directly, donating privately, or just observing, I think this talk will help send you in the right direction.

Author | School Administrator | Educator

Speaker | Trainer | Entrepreneur

Beth Cannon

Beth Cannon is an international speaker, educator and entrepreneur known for her passion for engaging leaders and inspiring teams. With 25+ years of experience in the education and business spaces, she is known for her niche in creating and teaching strategies and solutions through live or virtual experiences and retreats, and most recently…a digital course creator. In addition to leading thousands of educators each year through her professional development trainings, Beth is leads a team of 40+ entertaining early educators through enrichment program serving preschools and childcare centers – Stretch-n-Grow. She created the New Business Training Program and the Youth Fitness Certification for Stretch-n-Grow, International, and supports affiliates world-wide through curriculum and education. Beth has a Bachelors degree in Communications + Education Certification from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Topic: Dare to Be Self-Aware

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have your co-workers “get” you…and maybe even more amazing to “get” them? The Enneagram is a valuable tool in helping teams communicate and collaborate. In this course, you learn about the 9 different ways people see the world and how to use that information to know and do better as a team.

Natasha Harris

Natasha Harris is the Founder, Presenter & Executive Owner of Integrity Training & Professional Services. She earned an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Studies from National Park Community College in Hot Springs, AR and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Northwood University in Cedar Hill, TX. Natasha has also completed Master classes in Organizational Leadership from Devos University and Early Childhood Studies from Walden University. Her focus is Early Childhood Education, with a specialty for leadership/management/administrators in Childcare Centers.

Topic: Success as a Servant Leader

As a Director, one of the greatest treasure we can possess is creating a culture of serving others. when we serve our staff, we position others above ourselves & those following us will gain trust in our leadership. In our session, we will share attributes of a servant leader and how to bring staff together working toward our vision.

Entrepreneur | Educator | Consultant

Brand Strategist

Hilary Hartling

“After spending 15 years marketing movies from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Touchstone and Dreamworks, helping launch multi-million dollar franchises, and managing global brands with fiercely loyal fans, Hilary Hartling has a deep knowledge and innate skill in growing and leveraging strategic brands.

Hilary made the leap from corporate to founding her own brand strategy business to apply her experience in helping others create unforgettable brands to inspire their audience. She’s on a mission to help visionary entrepreneurs, experts and business leaders make an impact by translating their brand vision into aligned strategies and clear messaging that resonates.” Hilary has a BBA in Marketing and Master’s Degree in Global Marketing Communication + Advertising.

Topic: Gaining Brand Clarity to Attract Your Audience

How to create a clear brand that resonates
Find out the essential branding elements to gain clarity
Discover the top 5 must-haves on your homepage to captivate your clients
How to avoid these common branding mistakes
Discover the roadmap to a successful brand journey

Dr. Rebecca Isbell

Dr. Rebecca Isbell is an Early Childhood Consultant, inspirational keynote speaker, and author of 13 Early Childhood books. Her latest is Nurturing Creativity: The Essential Mindset for Young Children’s Learning, published by (NAEYC).Her textbook, Creativity and the Arts with Young Children is used in college and universities throughout the United States. Dr. Isbell has a wide range of experiences in the field of Early Childhood Education, including: Distinguished Professor, Director of the Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Learning and Development, and Director of a Laboratory School Program serving Infants-Kindergarten at the East Tennessee State University.

Topic: Our Challenge for the 21st Century: To Nurture Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking in Young Children

To thrive in the 21st Century we must be creative thinkers who can communicate and collaborate with others. The foundation for the development of these skills is established during the early years of children’s development while working with teachers who inspire these essential abilities. Directors, as leaders of their program, play an important role in supporting teachers to face the challenges of the 21st Century Skills. How can a Director help establish an environment that will prepare children for new challenges, expanded opportunities and innovative ways to solve problems? How can Directors support teachers and encourage their efforts as they strive to nurture creative thinkers?

Early Childhood Consultant | Author

Owner of Childcare Business Professionals | Podcast Host

Evelyn Knight

I am a child care center owner and a business coach. I help child care professionals find success in their center by helping them learn key leadership skills and business principles needed for success. I have BA in Early Childhood Education and MS Psychology. I am a Certified Life Coach and I have experience as a director, but I was not prepared for the business of owning a childcare center. Over the course of the last 4 years, I have discovered that most ECE professionals are not business people. We are teachers at heart, but in order to be successful preschool owners and directors, we must obtain a mind for business. This is where I can help you!

Topic: Creating a Dream Team within the Team You Already Have

Have you ever asked yourself why your staff can’t seem to get it together? Do you struggle with recruiting quality staff members because of the wages and benefits you offer? What if I told you that you may already have a dream team, you just need to learn how to cultivate them?

It is no secret that wages in our industry are low and benefits are sparse. This does not mean that you cannot have a dream team. The key to creating a dream team within the staff that you have comes down to leadership. Winning teams are intentionally created by developing each staff member and by creating a mission that is bigger than just a job.

Charle Peck

Charle Peck is a seasoned educator who has taught social sciences and parenting courses for over 15 years, and she designed and delivered CPD credit courses for healthcare professionals in child development. She has her Masters degree in Education, is finishing up a Masters in Social Work, and has a Family Studies Specialist designation. As a mom of three boys and host of the podcast Advancing Humanity, Charle is invested in reaching the masses for a thriving future. As an award-winning small business owner, and having facilitated workshops around stress, relationship-building and parenting topics internationally, she is excited to share her education and mental health expertise on a larger scale. Charle is a Certified Trauma Practitioner.

Topic: Trauma-Informed Education for Early Learners

Discover how you can use a trauma lens to engage your early learners and help them thrive in your learning environment. You will learn some basic brain science and more importantly, some strategies for identifying behaviors that leave you feeling disheartened and exhausted. If you want to transform your classroom without any lesson-planning or new curriculum to deliver, the techniques you learn here will bring that transformation.

Educator | Mental Health Expert | Podcast Host

Founder and President of Getting Real Ministries

Dawn Pulgine

Dawn Pulgine comes to us from the burbs of Chicago Illinois where she is the Founder and President of Getting Real Ministries. She is a women’s minister, writer, public speaker, and Bible teacher who is passionate about people and the Bible, devoted to helping YOU know God deeply and understand His Word accurately, cultivating an unwavering faith grounded in Scripture and active in your daily life. Because, she believes with her whole heart that if you want to walk in life freely you must know God deeply through His Son, Jesus Christ. Dawn has a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication/Media Studies and Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute.

Topic: Driven by Distractions

Driven by distractions. We have goals that need setting. We have meetings to attend and relationships that need tending. We have messes that need cleaning, and dinner to be made. All the while a prickly resentment brews under the surface because we are stressed! Our spiritual A.D.H.D. robs of us peace and distracts us from focus. Combatting our driven-by-distractions addiction is overwhelming. What to do? Sit like Mary? Join me as we explore the toolbox of ideas I have for you on tackling the attention robbing gremlins that pull us apart.

Brandon Salisbury

Brandon Salisbury has been collecting junk mail and watching TV commercials since the age of 12 because to him, marketing and sales were the real entertainment. In 2007, Brandon put this passion for marketing and sales to work in child care as a director when he grew two centers from less than 25% capacity to a long wait list. Since joining ChildcareCRM as Product Marketing & Solutions Consultant, he has helped thousands of centers grow their enrollment through effective marketing and follow up processes. Brandon has a Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Topic: Growing Enrollment through Facebook Funnels

In this session, you will learn how to run successful Facebook ads that generate more enrollments. Facebook Ads Funnel is one of the most powerful, evergreen marketing strategies that will help generate new leads, increase ROI and grow your business. There’s no doubt that Facebook Ads are a powerhouse when it comes to generating both leads and sales. However, the chances of someone buying your product or service the first time they see your ad or engage with your brand are quite slim. To get people actually converting on your core offer, you need multiple touchpoints. And you need a funnel to move prospects from one point to the next

Product Marketing & Solutions Consultant

Owner of Early Education Business Consultants

Lauren Small

Lauren Small, MBA is a business consultant and the owner of Early Education Business Consultants, LLC, a boutique consulting firm offering business management training programs and consulting services for Early Childhood Business Owners and Directors. The firm helps programs improve profitability and enrollment by helping to educate leaders while implementing business systems and automation. To date, Lauren has consulted several hundred early childhood programs in her community of Hampton Roads, VA. Lauren designed the Early Education Small Business Training Program in 2009, a program that encourages and educates ECE businesses to learn and adopt best business practices.

Topic: Business Bootcamp - Build confidence as a business leader through business education

If you are like most child care providers and preschool directors, your background and skills are in educating children—and not necessarily in business. For your program to be successful, you need more than amazing staff and a nice facility. You need to follow a proper business model, with proven HR practices, budgeting ability, branding and marketing, and customer service to your parents.

Jamie Trull

Jamie is an alum of Wake Forest University where she obtained a Bachelor’s in Analytical Finance and a Master’s in Accountancy and became a CPA. She started her career at Ernst & Young, one of the Big 4 public accounting firms. She spent 10 years of her career in the Coca-Cola system, rising to a leadership role in Finance.

She started Balance CFO in 2018 with a mission to help women entrepreneurs reach for their dreams and achieve their financial goals. In addition to serving as a Virtual CFO for multiple small businesses, she is also a financial literacy coach and speaker focused on helping entrepreneurs feel more confident about the numbers side of their businesses. During COVID-19, she tireless served her Facebook community of over 24K!

Topic: Financial Fitness Basics for Profit Planning

In this workshop, you will learn tools to help you break the overwhelm-anxiety-shame cycle and take CONTROL of your business finances once and for all. With the right resources and a clear plan to follow, this is the year to get your budget to a place of Financial Fitness – YES – even the most “numbers-averse” of you out there!

Founder of Balance CFO | CPA

CEO - KangarooTime

Scott Wayman

Scott Wayman is the Founder and CEO of Kangarootime, the leading software for childcare centers and preschools. In 2015, as a young parent-guardian, Scott was inspired to found Kangarootime when he discovered that many of the groundbreaking technologies being used in health systems and physician offices could greatly benefit childcare owners and leaders in the early education industry. He designed Kangarootime to bring the same efficiencies to childcare and to give childcare professionals the tools to scale their classrooms, automate their businesses and better communicate with the families they serve. Scott has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Ottawa University.

Topic: Using Software to Automate and Grow Your Business

Using software to manage your center can help you grow your business and manage it more efficiently. By leveraging the right tools, you can connect better with your families, manage your staff more effectively and handle the operations of your center.

Albert Wright

Albert Wright is a Master Trainer, children’s book author and host of the weekly web show, “Two minutes with Albert”. He has over 20 years in the child care industry and had the privilege of being chosen as Trainer of the Year twice for the state of Texas, and is a much sought after Master Trainer who has presented on platforms such as conferences for the National Association of Education for Young Children, National Afterschool Association, and many more. He consults with Businesses, Schools, Churches, and Nonprofits to strengthen the relationships between the children, educators, administrators and parents. Albert holds a BS in Child Development and earned his Masters of Education in Early Childhood Education while traveling as a Keynote and Featured Speaker. Albert has trained all over the United States, specifically working in and around Texas with Workforce Solutions and many of the AEYC affiliates. Albert believes that it is important to be both informative and entertaining while training, because if people are entertained, they are more likely to retain the information. Albert seeks to train with the perfect balance of laughter and learning, which has turned Wright One Training clients into true fans of his work.

Topic: Know Your Fight

It's easy to get caught up in the details of the day to day, but it's extremely important to know what you are fighting for so that you know how to direct your energy. Don't get lost in the craziness of what is going on in the world outside the classroom. This training will help you remember your purpose, and why you got into this field. You still have a voice, and the fight you fight is in the classroom, or in the front office, or in the field. You can make a difference in the world if you focus on your specific fight. Know your fight, so you can know how to win.

M. Ed. | Master Trainer

Entrepreneur

Cambry Mills-Wiersum

Cambry Mills-Wiersum is an early education entrepreneur who started her first business at 25 and grew it to be one of the most successful. In addition to running one of the largest and most successful Stretch-n-Grow franchises in the world, she also creates and curates social media content for the company’s top affiliates. Cambry is a classically trained dancer, certified group fitness instructor and Pure Barre instructor while leading her team of fitness, dance and sports coaches. Cambry is passionate about helping other business owners formulate their brand identity and social platforms to connect with their ideal customers. But to be honest, she’s most know for that appearance on Real Housewives of Dallas where she lead a dance workshop for one of the Wives and her children.

Topic: Creating + Curating Content for Social Media

Want to leverage your school's social media presence more effectively? Then you will love these tips and tricks and done-for-you-templates Cambry will share. If you want to be successful in the post-covid world, you need to have a social media presence — this is not an option. But just jumping into social media without a plan can be worse than having no presence at all. In this workshop, you will set your social media goals and develop a plan to reach them; Identify which social media platforms will work for you; Promote your organization in a way that will generate real followers.

Dr. Lori Gonzalez

With a strong background and passion for education and having achieved a Master’s degree in Management and a Ph.D. in Social Science, Lori went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling, specializing in both Christian Counseling and Secular Counseling. Using an integrative treatment approach, with experience in teaching, advising, and counseling in both public schools and the private sector, she actively pulls from different treatment theories to tailor each plan for her individual clients. Common treatment theories she utilizes are Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy. Ultimately, she feels her purpose is one of service, particularly in helping those in need. Lori bases her philosophy in her faith with regard to both her personal and professional life. Dr. Gonzalez has additional training in her counseling studies with an emphasis on a Biblical worldview for those clients that request this approach.

Topic: Anxiety in Our Early Learners

Anxiety is a normal part of life. It can be helpful and even sometimes motivational, however, with our early learners, if not addressed appropriately, it can evolve into a disorder. Using intervention tools and meeting the social-emotional needs of our early learners can help identify and initiate strategies to cope with anxiety. In this workshop, you will gain practical tools to help navigate the social and emotional needs of early learners through the lens of coming out of a global pandemic and the many changes that this season has forced.

PhD | LPC

M.Ed. | Author | Humorist | Keynote Speaker

Vernon H. Mason Jr.

Vernon’s passion is to share what he’s learned with other business leaders and is known for his candor and humor in presentations and keynotes at many local, state/national conferences and corporate meetings. He hold master’s degree in Early Childhood Administration, President of WEE SCHOOL Child Development Centers, CEO of directorsleadershipsolutions.com, and has been in business for over 25 years. He began his journey with a $5,000 credit card and last year had over $3 million is revenue!

Topic: How to make this Crisis something you learn from and maybe even grateful for in the long run!: A Story of Perseverance During Tough Times

If you’ve heard Vernon’s “story,” then you know he and his programs have bounced back from more crisis’ than most! From an inspector finding lead paint and giving him 30 days to relocate, payroll tax debt, a program destroyed by a hurricane, surviving the recession and an oatmeal fire, Vernon truly has seen it all. He says at one point it started feeling biblical and was waiting for the locust to arrive! Vernon will challenge you to think outside the box—challenge your preconceived beliefs about the EC world and challenge you to take bold steps to not only survive this crisis but begin to see it as an opportunity!