In this special bonus episode, Child Care Aware® of America Board President-Elect Dr. Renée Boynton-Jarrett interviews outgoing CEO Dr. Lynette Fraga. They discuss Dr. Fraga’s contributions to the organization over the past decade and to the field over the past thirty years. Dr. Fraga shares her hopes for CCAoA and for the future of the child care sector. 

About Dr. Lynette Fraga, PhD 

As Chief Executive Officer of Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), Lynette M. Fraga, Ph.D., is a passionate practitioner, advocate and leader in the field of child care and early learning, working to advance the accessibility of quality child care experiences for all children. 

Dr. Fraga has over 25 years of experience as an educator, program director and executive leader working on behalf of children and families. Since her selection in 2012 as the Executive Director at CCAoA, Dr. Fraga has sought to position CCAoA as the nation’s leading voice on child care in policy, practice and research. 

Dr. Fraga began her career in early childhood as a teacher in infant, toddler and preschool classrooms, and has since held positions at the local, state and national level within the nonprofit, corporate and higher education sectors. 

Dr. Fraga holds a doctoral degree in Family Studies from Kansas State University, a master’s degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from the University of Arizona. 

About Dr. Renée Boynton-Jarrett 

Renée Boynton-Jarrett, MD, ScD is a pediatrician and social epidemiologist and the founding director of the Vital Village Community Engagement Network (www.vitalvillage.org). Her work focuses on the role of early-life adversities as life course social determinants of health. She has a specific concentration on psychosocial stress and neuroendocrine and reproductive health outcomes, including obesity and early puberty. She is interested in social ecology and the role of neighborhood attributes in influencing health trajectory. Specifically, she has studied the intersection of community violence, intimate partner violence, and child abuse and neglect and neighborhood characteristics that influence these patterns. Her current work is developing community-based strategies to promote child well-being and reduce child maltreatment using a collective impact approach in three Boston neighborhoods. 

 
“A Seat at the Table” is an award-winning podcast produced by Child Care Aware® of America, the nation’s leading voice on child care. Listen and subscribe at www.childcareaware.org/TheTable. 

In the final episode of the season, Dr. Lynette Fraga talks with emerging early childhood professional Tanise Dixon about how to build a “kitchen cabinet” of mentors, advisors and others who can support professional development in the child care field. Tanise shares how a formative experience at a summer camp ignited her passion to support the development of young minds. Tanise and Dr. Fraga discuss how communities can creatively support whole-child development and growth.   

Tanise Dixon is a child care leader who was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and now lives in Colorado. She has worked in child care for the last 15 years and . currently serves as the Early Childhood Manager with the Alliance for Kids, which helps families in El Paso County, Colorado, locate high quality child care. Tanise holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Recreational Management from Ferris State University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from the University of the Rockies. She has a passion for making a difference in children’s lives and enjoys working with others to create leadership and equity in organizations that directly affect today’s youth. 

“A Seat at the Table” is an award-winning podcast produced by Child Care Aware® of America, the nation’s leading voice on child care. Listen and subscribe at www.childcareaware.org/TheTable. 

Following in her mother’s footsteps as an early childhood educator, Laurin Atkinson has found her own niche in the field – digging into data. Her colleagues were “afraid of data, but I was good at Excel,” Laurin jokes.  

With a passion for continuous personal growth – and the growth of her staff – Laurin shares with host Dr. Lynette Fraga what today’s emerging child care leaders need, and how data can support bold and innovative changes. How can early childhood professionals find mentors? What does it mean to become a better manager? What strategies will improve staff retention? Together, Laurin and Lynette discuss what it takes to confidently take a seat at the table, even in the face of doubt. 

Laurin Atkinson is the Operations Manager for Early Childhood Services at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology from Roosevelt University and earned a Master of Science in Early Childhood Studies with a specialization in Administration, Management, and Leadership from Walden University. With more than 15 years of experience in the early care and education field, Laurin has served in various positions including pre-K teacher, center director, and quality and data analytics coordinator. In her current role, Laurin is responsible for oversight of safe environments, data management, ongoing monitoring, processes, and procedures for the Early Childhood Services team at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. Laurin is passionate about finding innovative ways to incorporate data-informed decision-making into the work of early care and education to best serve children and families. 

"A Seat at the Table” is an award-winning podcast produced by Child Care Aware® of America, the nation’s leading voice on child care. Listen and subscribe at www.childcareaware.org/TheTable.  

Stemming from a role in the California State Assembly, Patrick MacFarlane quickly realized the importance of robust early care and education policy as a way to build thriving communities. A native of South Central Los Angeles, Patrick shares how his family’s focus on service and commitment has shaped his passion for the child care field. He explains how his professional journey has challenged him to step up as a leader, and how he wants to inspire those around him. Together, Patrick and host Dr. Lynette Fraga discuss why fair wages are critical to sustaining the child care field, and what is needed for a more equitable system.  

Patrick MacFarlane is the Government Relations Manager at Child Care Resource Center, where he leads their state and local public policy advocacy. Patrick also serves as a California Senate appointee to the Early Childhood Policy Council Parent Advisory Committee, and on the Los Angeles County Child Care Planning Committee. Patrick is currently a Policy Fellow with the National Black Child Development Institute.  

Patrick is a former Public Policy Associate at Crystal Stairs, Inc. and previously served as Senior Field Representative with the California State Assembly. Very active in his community, Patrick serves as VP of Administration for Los Angeles County Young Democrats and as VP of Chapters and Societies for the Loyola High School Alumni Association Board. A University of Arizona graduate, Patrick was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he resides with his wife Raquel and 4-year-old daughter Leah. 

"A Seat at the Table” is an award-winning podcast produced by Child Care Aware® of America, the nation’s leading voice on child care. Listen and subscribe at www.childcareaware.org/TheTable.  

With professional roots in Early Head Start and Head Start programs, Trina Gillam has paved a path of care and dedication to the child care sector. Today, Trina leads Early Childhood Services at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In this episode, Dr. Lynette Fraga talks with Trina about the professional challenges she has faced, how mentors and coaches have positively shaped her, and the leadership approach she takes with her team amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they discuss the importance of a whole-child, whole-family approach to child care.

"A Seat at the Table” is an award-winning podcast produced by Child Care Aware® of America, the nation’s leading voice on child care. Listen and subscribe at www.childcareaware.org/TheTable.  

What does the child care sector need? And who is going to do the work? Join Child Care Aware® of America CEO Lynette Fraga for another season of “A Seat at the Table.” This time Dr. Fraga will be interviewing with incredible leaders who are shaping the future of early care and education. They discuss what is critical for the sector to not only survive, but also to thrive. Featuring early care and education professionals from across the United States, you will hear stories of innovation, creativity and a desire for a more inclusive and equitable setting for America’s children. 

Join Dr. Fraga for “A Seat at the Table: The Future of the Child Care Profession.” Tune in for four episodes beginning in January 2022 wherever you stream. A Seat at the Table is an award-winning podcast produced by Child Care Aware® of America, the nation’s leading voice on child care. Listen and subscribe at www.childcareaware.org/TheTable.  

This episode concludes the first season of the podcast! It’s also the second half of a two-part interview with Miriam Calderon of the U.S. Department of Education, where she serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Learning. In this part of the interview, Dr. Lynette Fraga talks with Miriam discuss the realities of navigating institutions that are complex and imperfect, and how adults can be advocates for the youngest members of our society. Miriam shares her hopeful vision for transformed policies, systems and child care classrooms.   

Don’t miss the second season of the podcast arriving to your feeds in late January. 

About Miriam Calderon 

Miriam Calderon is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Learning at the U.S. Department of Education. Miriam was appointed by Gov. Kate Brown in 2017 to serve as the early learning system director for the state of Oregon. She previously served in the Obama-Biden Administration advising on early learning policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Domestic Policy Council.  

Miriam has a diverse set of experiences in the early childhood field in program, policy, and advocacy. She worked as the senior director for early childhood at the Bainum Family Foundation, as director of early childhood education at the District of Columbia Public Schools, and as associate director for education policy at UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza).  

Miriam began her career in early childhood working in Head Start. She is a native of Washington D.C. and holds degrees from the University of Delaware and Portland State University. 

Show Notes 

• U.S Department of Education, Early Learning website 
• Child Care Aware of America (el sitio de web en espanol) 

Subscribe to this special series of intimate interviews to hear how other leaders are creating space for all types of voices to be heard. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you stream. This podcast is a production of Child Care Aware® of America.  

Learn more at www.childcareaware.org/thetable.
Music for A Seat at the Table is Retro Groovy by EightBallAudio.