The Senior Early Childhood Specialists (SECAs): A Regional Network of Infant and Toddler Experts

By Lillian Sugarman

With an eye on the continuous improvement of Early Head Start programs, Helen Taylor, former Associate Commissioner for the Head Start Bureau, designed a new initiative to establish SECAs in each office and in the Head Start Bureau. The SECAs assist federal staff in their efforts to fund, monitor, and support Early Head Start Programs.

The EHS National Resource Center (EHS NRC) provided contractual support for this initiative. As such, the associates are employed and supervised by the EHS NRC.

The main thrust of the Senior Early Childhood Associates' activities involves serving as a consultant to federal staff as they learn more about infant and toddler development and its connection to program planning and operation. The associates provide birth-to-three expertise to federal staff and are physically located in the ten ACF Regional Offices, the American Indians Program Branch, the Migrant Programs Branch, and the Head Start Bureau.

Based upon individualized work plans, the associates consult with Regional Office staff and provide technical assistance through a variety of activities that may include:

• Providing individual consultations with program and fiscal staff;
  
• Offering presentations on topical workshops;
  
• Analyzing EHS grant awards;
  
• Accompanying program specialists on TA visits to programs;
  
• Participating in technical assistance visits with program specialists;
  
• Organizing and participating in regional and national conferences;
  
• Supporting program specialists during on-site monitoring visits;
  
• Coordinating regional activities with other technical assistance providers;
  
• Maintaining a resource library of books, video tapes, and other training materials for professional development of the federal staff; and
  
• Participating in Regional Coordinating Council meetings.

We are excited about this new level of support and its contribution to quality enhancement in Early Head Start programs.

For more information, contact Lillian Sugarman, Assistant Director of the EHS NRC, at T: 202-638-1144 or by e-mail at l.sugarman@zerotothree.org.

 

The following Senior Early Childhood Associates have been hired and are located in the following offices:

Libby Zimmerman, Region 1, Boston, Massachusetts
Lisa Leifield, Region 3, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lisa Goldman, Region 4, Atlanta, Georgia
Maureen Patrick, Region 5, Chicago, Illinois
Tisha Bennett, Region 6, Dallas, Texas
Judy Cryzado-Gyerrero, Region 7, Kansas City, Kansas
Sandra Petersen, Region 8, Denver, Colorado
Alisa Burton, Region 9, San Francisco, California
Theresa Elofson, Region 10, Seattle, Washington
Jennifer Boss, Migrant Branch, Washington, D.C.
Angie Godfrey, AIPB, Washington, D.C.
Lynette Kimes, Central Office, Washington, D.C.