Ilya is originally from Zhytomyr, a small town in Ukraine just west of Kyiv. He and his family moved to St. Louis in 1989. He moved to Chicago for college, Houston for work, and then returned to St. Louis in 2004 to start a family. Ilya founded Raintree School in 2006 after a frustrating search
Director of Policy and Advocacy for Kids Win Missouri Robyn Schelp is bringing you everything you need to know about voting on election day or before. Find out more below! Absentee votingAbsentee voting in Missouri has already begun!! You may vote by absentee ballot if you meet the following criteria: Absentee ballots may be completed
Mia Daugherty is a mom and advocate from St. Louis. Mia has used her lived experience as a mom to advocate for other parents to have better access to resources in their communities. She is passionate about building the capacity of others to use their voices and perspectives as a way to bring more attention
Amanda Rhodes runs a nonprofit called It Takes a Village in Salem that supports women and families with prenatal and postpartum education and support. They do parenting classes, some home visiting (not as It Takes a Village, but their members do in their private practices), and connect families with resources and information. Learn more about
Garrison Keillor once said, “Nothing you do for children is ever wasted.” That is a quote that has resonated with me since I first heard it many moons ago. I wholeheartedly believe that to work in the service of children means that we are investing in the future. For me, advocacy had been something that
Kristin White is a mom and early childhood professional from Saint Joseph. Kristin has many years of experience in the field of early care and education and has also navigated Missouri’s systems as both a biological and an adoptive parent. Kristin knows how important parents are when it comes to advocating for their children, and
Amanda lives in Charleston with her husband Stacey and two children Poppy and Clark. She has been in the early education field for 18 years. All of her teaching years have been for the Charleston R-1 School district and she currently teaches Pre K-4. Learn more about Amanda below! How did you become an advocate for early childhood education? This
Amanda Hagan is a mom and early childhood professional from Joplin. Amanda formerly worked as a teacher in her local Early Head Start program, and currently works as a Family Resource Specialist for Head Start. Working for Head Start while having young children of her own gives Amanda a unique perspective on how important early
Alyssa Morrow is an education coordinator for Early Head Start in Kansas City. She has one daughter and wants to instill in her speaking and standing up for what’s right. She’s been in the early childhood field for almost 20 years in different capacities, from infants and toddlers to second grade. We are thrilled to
Denise Damron is a mom and advocate from Palmyra. As the Executive Director of the United Way of the Mark Twain Area, Denise is fully aware of the importance of quality early childhood services to the larger community. Denise has a unique perspective in navigating Missouri’s early childhood systems, as she has done so as
