OUR AWESOME LINEUP
Stacy Benge, M.S.
Stacy Benge is an early childhood speaker who approaches learning in the early years with practicality and common sense. Standing firm on the truth that children learn best through simple, authentic experiences, Stacy advocates for child-led play to build solid foundations for school and life success. In addition to holding a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies, Stacy spent 10 years in the early childhood classroom teaching children ages birth to five. As she has for the past 20 years, Stacy shares her passion for child development with fellow early learning professionals with enlightening and informative presentations.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards
Topic: Teaching with a Renewed Mindset
Cori Berg
Cori Berg is Executive Director of Hope Day School in Dallas, TX and the creator of ECE from the Heart with Cori Berg on Facebook.. She has served in the field of early childhood education for over 25 years as a teacher, administrator, trainer, and consultant. In 2020, she was awarded the Texas Early Childhood Administrator of the Year award for her work helping early childhood programs across the nation develop pandemic protocols that honor the child and educator experience.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Families and Community Partnerships
Topic: Building Communities through Compassion
Ashley Binns
Ashley Binns is a former Owner/Director of a Childcare Center of ten years who struggled with having a great work-life balance. Her goal and mission is to help the overworked Childcare Business Owner reduce their working hours, without reducing the quality of their centers/schools.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Business/Operations Management; Business Structure; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Topic: How I Ensured Coverage at all Times: My Automatic Substitute Program System
Holly Elissa Bruno
Holly Elissa Bruno, MA, JD, best selling award winning author served as Maine’s Assistant Attorney General, Dean of Faculty and Associate Professor, University of Maine-Augusta.
Her books address managing legal risks, emotionally intelligent leadership and translating trauma into healing and her keynotes have been applauded from Singapore to Budapest, Reykjavik to Hyderabad.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development and Leadership; Human Resources
Topic: Happiness is Running Through the Streets to Find You
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.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development, Human Resource Leadership; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Topic: Cultivating Your School's Core Values
Dani Christine
As a multi-site child care business owner who works on business development remotely, over 100 miles away from her centers, Dani Christine is passionate about teaching other child care providers how to operate their programs efficiently. On a mission to provide assistance from the start-up process to living the dream life, Dani offers her clients private video consultations on childcaresites.com and even free self-help videos on YouTube.com/DaniChristine.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Operational Efficiency; Professional Development and Leadership
Topic: Digital Tools to Maximize Efficiency in Preschool Operations
Child Care Business Owner, Consultant, and Digital Content Creator
Stephanie Gow
Stephanie Gow is a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and child of God. Her career-life experiences have always been in tandem with her family-life, beginning as an elementary teacher and evolving to early childhood, where Stephanie served as Director of First Faith Preschool and Kindergarten. Stephanie was later called to full-time ministry, serving as Executive Director of Contemporary Worship, founder and co-leader of “Refresh” women’s Bible Study, and provided pastoral care to congregants. Coaching strengthened Stephanie’s leadership, and propelled her to a national platform as a certified FranklinCovey coach and consultant. Her mission is to “Spotlight potential and greatness in order to advance God’s kingdom, one life at a time.” Today, Stephanie coaches educators, leaders, and executives from coast-to-coast, as well as provides Professional Life Coaching through her private coaching practice, Spotlight Coaching.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Business/Operations Management; Business Structure; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Operation
Topic: Spotlight + Simplify for Better Results
Veronica Green
Veronica Green is an Early Childhood Consultant and momma to a 6 year old son who is autistic. For the past 8 years I’ve been mentoring and inspiring my fellow educators from all over the world about creating an inclusive practice that has a strong image of the child and educator. I share practical & inspiring ideas to support you in planning, documentation, understanding behaviours and building strong relationships all using the magical and simple materials of loose parts!
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards
Topic: Embracing Endless Possibilities with Loose Parts Play
Natasha Harris
Natasha Harris has over 25 years of experience in early childhood education and her passion is to equip, empower and educate leaders. She offer many training sessions, mentorship, keynote speaker and coaching opportunities for new and existing directors, owners and teachers.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development and Leadership
Topic: Authentic Leadership: A Reflective Practice for ECE Leaders
Monica Healer
Monica Healer learned early on that young children are sponges, soaking up every ounce of discovery as new knowledge. Her own experience as a classroom teacher and faith-based weekday program administrator have solidified a passion for using each moment with a young child to its full potential. Monica believes that weekday programs have a unique opportunity to bring the Gospel to young families by providing the highest quality educational experiences for their most precious gifts – their children. Could it be that God might use intentional early childhood leaders and educators to reach a generation of parents who just want safe, developmentally-appropriate childcare? Monica answers that with a resounding YES! Her move to lead the Early Childhood Christian Network has given her a new launchpad to provide resources, relevant training and encouragement to programs everywhere looking to make a difference for the Kingdom.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development and Leadership; Family and Community Relationships
Topic: Team Up: Building Church/School Partnerships That Impact The Community
Rebecca Isbell
Dr. Isbell is a consultant to early childhood programs. She is also an author of 13 books related to topics in early childhood education. She presents Keynotes and presentation through out the US and International in China, Canada, Denmark, Singapore and India. She has taught young children from two years to eight as well as adults.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Child Growth and Development
Topic: Inspiring Language Development: Overcoming the Lost Year
Evelyn Knight
I am the host of The Childcare Business Coach Podcast, the CEO of Child Care Business Professionals and a child care center owner. I have held almost every position in a Preschool or childcare center from cook to director to owner. I have built child care centers from the ground up; purchased one center that was in operation; and I purchased one that had been shut down due to regulation violations. I have degrees in ECE and Psychology. I am also a Certified Life Coach. I now help owners and directors run profitable, research based, high quality child care centers by training and coaching them on essential business practices.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development, Human Resource Leadership; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Topic: Time Management Hacks for ECE Leaders
Vernon Mason, Jr
Vernon is 2nd generation in our industry and grew up in an “in-home” program. He has been the owner-director of small, medium, and large programs. After 28.5 years, including a decade of multi-site ownership, he sold his schools in 2019. Along the way, Vernon completed a Master's in Early Childhood, wrote a couple of books, and is one of the most sought-after speakers and humorists in the childcare industry. Today Vernon is Senior Vice President of Growth and Development for The Nest School.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development and Leadership; Human Resources
Topic: 10 Breakthrough Approaches to Hiring in a COVID World!
Heather Torres
Heather Torres is a childcare business owner, award-winning grant writer, and national ECE trainer and presenter for NAEYC, AELL and KCCC. The greatest passion of her work life is to explore leadership concepts and methods with the intent to develop greatness within the next generation of early childhood educators and leaders. Heather is a wife of 20 years, mom of 3, and dog mom to her German Shepherd puppies.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Child Growth and Development
Topic: The Way We Speak to Children is the Way They Speak to Themselves
Prerna Richards
Prerna Richards is a coach, consultant, trainer, and a national speaker. She has been in the early childhood education field for the past 35 years. She is a registered master level trainer with the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System. Most recently she started her own consulting business, Together We Grow providing professional development, coaching, and consulting for educators and individual families. She is the winner of Susan Hargrave trainer of the year award from TXAEYC in 2020.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Responsive Interactions and Guidance
Topic: Managing Tantrums and Meltdowns
Chelsea Robberson
I am the founder of Lealyn Growth and work as an education consultant with companies around the world, but it hasn't always been this way.
I always thought my dream was to be teaching in a classroom, wearing my “I teach for the money & fame” shirt, and loving every second of dancing along with my students to Tooty Ta by Dr. Jean.
I took my first classroom role in 2005, served in the states and internationally, and loved it all the way through my first taste of school leadership in 2009 and until my school's Covid closure in 2020.
My leadership roles over the years allowed me to build new programs that pushed the assumed limits of what a classroom should look and function like, what teachers should focus on and learn, and what a school environment should feel like overall.
Since this spark ignited, I have become (overly) passionate about disrupting the status-quo of education through whatever avenue I am able and pushing forward the mission of others with this same thinking. I now host the #whatcouldgowrong LIVE show and work in schools, edtech companies, education legislation, and everything in between.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Business/Operations Management; Business Structure; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Topic: Building a Round Team
Bivette Marie Stodghill
Bivette spearheads the development of curriculum, career paths and online learning environment to deliver efficient training opportunities in early education, customer service, human resources, operations, and labor issues. With a background in education, research, and social issues Bivette ensures ensures that people who work with children have the very best education, information, practices, and tools to provide top notch care and supportive services to children and their families. Bivette has extensive background in writing, publishing, editing, event planning, project and conference facilitation, grant writing and workshop and training delivery.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development and Leadership; Human Resources
Topic: Walk the Line: Why Your Top Talent Choose to Stay or Go
Emma Tempest
Hi, I'm Emma! I offer coaching and consulting services to help stressed out early childhood educators and leaders find their happy again using the power of play. I have workshops and training courses that focus on play-based, child-centered learning and development. I also provide group and 1:1 life coaching using positive psychology tools to help you manage your mind and prioritise yourself as a human being first and an educator second.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Professional Development and Leadership; Human Resources
Topic: Play as an Act of Self-Care
Renee Terry
Renee Terry, an entrepreneur and speaker, has been the owner of Stretch-n-Grow, a children's enrichment program provider, since 2005. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas-Permian Basin and is certified by the state of Texas as a classroom teacher. Prior to her career in the private sector, she taught special education in the Ector County ISD for five years and Liberty Hill ISD for 1 year and was a regional special education trainer for the Ector County school district. Renee has been a presenter at countless early childhood conferences across West Texas the past 16 years including NAEYC, TLCCA, TBCWEA. Renee is passionate about growing and learning as well as teaching, inspiring and empowering others.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Health, Safety, and Nutrition
Topic: Finding Joy in Your Journey
ReShaun Webb
Ms. ReShaun has worked in Early Childhood for the span of 22 years. She started with her own babysitting service and proceeded to do Childcare Coop in high school. Upon graduating High School, she went on to obtain her Bachelors and Master in ECE and Adult Education. She has since owned her own Childcare Care Consulting Firm, She has written 3 books, Started her own Podcast(Early Childhood Coach with a Childcare Experience) and continues to be a forever student. In the words of ReShaun: I truly love this industry and I love the ideas that I get to hand off to other teachers, I love that I get to connect with like and heart minded professionals. This is my life's work.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards
Topic: Effective and Quality Programming
Scott Wayman
Scott Wayman is the Founder and CEO of Kangarootime, the leading software for childcare centers and preschools. A passionate entrepreneur, Scott spent more than a decade working with many healthcare systems across the United States and enjoyed founding a successful Healthcare Informatics business, Medstreaming.
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.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Business/Operations Management; Business Structure; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Topic: Growing Your Business, & Planning for Scale and Success
Amy Palacios Pena
Amy Palacios Pena is a bilingual Speech Language Pathologist and Early Childhood Developmental Specialist with over 10 years of experience working in the field of pediatrics. She established the FIRST developmental day school in the Rio Grande Valley, which caters to both the neurotypical & atypical population ages 0-6. Her center provides children of her community with the opportunity to reach their maximum potential in areas such as pre-literacy skills, financial literacy, and social/ emotional development before they begin school. Amy enjoys continuing education and research, as she is a pioneer in the importance early childhood development and its lasting effects in life. Recently at Harvard University, Amy was able to work with colleagues from around the world on creating a theory of change when it comes to importance early development.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Child Growth and Development
Topic: From Sitting to Standing: Changing the Landscape of Childcare
Rachel Supalla M.Ed.
Rachel is a multi-site Childcare Center owner and founded Discovery KidZone in 2009. Rachel and her business have achieved many awards including 2020 Innovative Business of the Year and is a distinguished speaker, presenter, and trainer not only in her home state but on a national stage. She uses brain development strategies, her high energy and individualized learning styles as unique ways to specialize trainings. Rachel is a childcare business coach for the childcare success company and brings over 23 years of childcare experience.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Business/Operations Management; Business Structure; Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Topic: Turn your Can'ts into Cans with Habit Forming Action Plans
Jennifer McCarville
With nearly three decades of experience in the field of early childhood education, Jennifer is a steadfast and unapologetic advocate for childhood. She has successfully led two schools through the licensing process in Texas and another to achieve accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children. In 2010, Jennifer founded Marvelously Made School in Helotes, Texas where she spends her days embracing children, supporting teachers, and educating others to understand how young children learn and what they need to thrive. In the spring of 2018, Jennifer was chosen by San Antonio Magazine for their Woman in Business spotlight. Marvelously Made has been featured in the Helotes Highlights Magazine and, in 2019, was selected as one of five finalists in Texas in early childhood education for the highly esteemed H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards. Known for her genuine respect for young children and her trust in the God-designed process of growing and learning, Jennifer is changing the conversation around early childhood education and childhood.
Generally Recognized EC Core Competencies – Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards
