
The Team
The BUILD Initiative is a team of early childhood professionals who are committed to building and sustaining high-quality, comprehensive, early childhood systems that are equitable for marginalized children and families, many of whom have faced discrimination based on race, ethnicity, language, or immigration status.
We have decades of experience with state and local early childhood systems, education reform, health, human services, political campaigns, communications, and messaging. Each team member brings a deep understanding of how to engage disparate constituencies and forge common ground to advance a comprehensive policy agenda.
Susan Hibbard
Executive Director

Michelle Adkins
Assistant Director, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub

Gretchen Ames
PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub Community Manager

Jenn Bender
Director of Operations

Jonathan Chapman
Learning Community Specialist

Tonya Coston
Co-Director National ECE Workforce Center

Tony Durborow
XChange Director, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub

Mariana Florit
Communications Director

Maisha Giles
State Services Liaison

Jim Gutierrez
Finance & Contracts Manager

Danielle Fuentes Johnson
Project Manager, Program Team

Lydia Kim
Conference Manager

Tameika Leslie
Early Care and Education, Quality Improvement Initiatives Project Director

Debi Mathias
Early Care and Education, Quality Improvement Initiatives Director

Laura May
Communications Senior Manager

Carey McCann
Co-Director of State Services

Ingrid Molinares
Learning Community Manager

Kemi Nnaji
Research Associate

Karen W. Ponder
Distinguished Fellow

Aisha Ray, PhD
Distinguished Fellow

Wendy Waithe Simmons, PhD
State Services Program Coordinator

Omotunde Sowole-West
Whole Family Systems Liaison

Deborah Stahl
Consultant, Special Projects

Sherri Killins Stewart, EdD
Director of Systems Alignment and Integration, Co-Director of State Services

Michelle Stover Wright
Research and Evaluation Director

Cynthia L. Tate, PhD
State Services Liaison, PN-3 Hub Lead

Xzandria Toombs
XChange Community Manager, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub

Ruth Trombka
Editor and Writer

TL
Director, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub
