Lana is from a little town in Southern Missouri called Willow Springs. She was raised on a dairy farm that had horses, chickens, goats, cats, and dogs. She moved to Columbia in 2022 for a new job and because she has family in the area. Lana currently has two kids on her roster, and she’s
Crystal is a mom from Grandview, Missouri. Through working with the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) in Kansas City, Crystal has found her voice as a leader in her community. She has put that voice to amazing use by joining our ECE Leader Fellowship and not only advocating for the needs of her own family
Belinda is a provider at Birdsall House in Kansas City and has lived in the KC Metro area for most of her life. She has been working as a provider for over ten years and has been with Birdsall House for eight of those years. Belinda is a current fellow with KWM and we are
Leaders cite value of early investments on public safety, military preparedness Jefferson City, MO – Mission: Readiness, a national nonpartisan organization of 800 retired flag and general officers and Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a bipartisan, national, nonprofit organization of 5,000 law enforcement leaders—including 120 in Missouri—today, joined the Missouri Champion of Children Coalition in
Chiffontae is a mom from St. Louis who is well-versed in the importance of quality care and education for Missouri’s children after working for the Parents as Teachers home visiting program in her city. She uses her lived experiences as well as her professional expertise to be a voice for other moms in her community and beyond. Get to
Jessica is a provider in our fellowship with a wealth of knowledge and resources! She has been at Rising Sun Learning Center since 2019 and has been in the ECE and child development space since 2016. Jessica is a strong advocate, and we are blessed to have her in our fellowship. Read more about Jessica
Jefferson City, MO – This afternoon, Governor Parson delivered his State of the State address and proposed additional investments in child care and early education in his final executive budget. Parson’s proposed investments include: “We applaud Governor Parson for once again showing his commitment to ensuring all Missouri children and families have access to child
Brandi is a mom from Herculaneum. She first became interested in advocacy through her work on the Policy Council with the Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation. Brandi wanted to find more ways to engage with influential people and entities on early childhood care and education by sharing her personal story, so she applied for Kids Win Missouri’s
LaTonya Williams is not only a provider in Saint Joseph, Missouri as the Executive Director of the Bartlett Center, she is a true champion for children and families. She works tirelessly to make sure the families in the community are taken care of and heard. LaTonya is a natural leader and advocate, and we are lucky
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri Champion of Children coalition, which includes child advocates, law enforcement, military, and business and healthcare leaders, cheered today’s hearing of HB 1488. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Brenda Shields (R-St. Joseph), would provide tax incentives for businesses that provide childcare to employees and provides a tax incentive to individuals
