Bekka Bollinger is 23 years old and has been around child care since she was 12. This field has truly shaped her. She works at Christian School For The Young Years in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where classrooms are viewed as a “second teacher.” Each space is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and encourage exploration. As
Samantha Lacefield serves as the Administrative Director at A Place To Grow, which operates three locations serving families in Callaway and Cole Counties. She also co-owns the Cole County facility alongside Nicci Rexroat. APTG is an education-driven, care-centered program where children, families, and staff are supported and valued. The team is currently working toward accreditation,
Misty, who is from Saint Joseph, Missouri, brings a strong commitment to early childhood education shaped by both her professional experience and her personal journey as a parent. She is married and the proud mother of two children, and through her work as a children’s librarian, she has supported families and educators while witnessing the
Angy Porras Gonzalez, from St. Louis, is a dedicated provider in our ECE Fellowship bringing a strong commitment to equity, cultural responsiveness, and provider voice. With firsthand experience supporting multilingual children and families, she believes deeply in fair compensation, high-quality care, and systems that uplift both educators and the communities they serve. Her advocacy is
Daniel Barker is a parent and early childhood advocate from Marble Hill, MO. Daniel’s experiences as a father of two and working with families with young children have cultivated a passion for advocacy that he hopes to share with other parents in his community and beyond. Read more about Daniel below! How did you become
Mindy Moffitt is a dedicated early childhood education provider and advocate from Perryville in Southeast Missouri. She has spent years working directly with young children, witnessing both their growth and the challenges families face. Her passion for advocacy grew from that experience, leading her to use her voice to strengthen Missouri’s child care system through
Charlotte Pippins is a mom and social worker from Springfield. Her experience as a parent navigating Missouri’s early childhood education system as well as her work as a social worker have highlighted the importance of advocating not only for her own family, but for other families in our state as well. Get to know Charlotte
We are so fortunate to welcome Kayla Wallace of Hannibal as one of our new fellows this year. Kayla’s passion for early childhood education began as a parent, recognizing that not every family has the same opportunities to support early learning at home. That realization led her to work in a child care center and
For over three years, Deniece has served as the Center Director of a Head Start program in Kirksville, Missouri, where she is dedicated to fostering early learning, family engagement, and community partnerships. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and brings both professional expertise and a personal passion for supporting children and families. Deniece
Courtney Leader is a parent advocate from the southwest Missouri region who discovered her passion for advocating during the inaugural Kids Win Cohort. Once she had a solid understanding of how bills are introduced and eventually become laws, she felt drawn to make systems-level change. There is so much power in lived experiences, and as
