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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
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Michelle Adkins
Director, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub
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Jenn Bender
Director of Operations
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Jonathan Chapman
Learning Community Specialist
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Tony Durborow
XChange Director, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub
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Mariana Florit
Communications Director
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Maisha Giles, PhD
State Services Liaison
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Jim Gutierrez
Finance & Contracts Manager
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Aedra Jones
TA Specialist, National ECE Workforce Center
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Lydia Kim
Conference Manager
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Tameika Leslie
Early Care and Education, Quality Improvement Initiatives Project Director
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Debi Mathias
Early Care and Education, Quality Improvement Initiatives Director
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Laura May
Communications Senior Manager
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Carey McCann
Co-Director of State Services
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Ingrid Molinares
Learning Community Manager
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Kemi Nnaji
Senior Associate, Research and Evaluation
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Karen W. Ponder
Distinguished Fellow
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Aisha Ray, PhD
Distinguished Fellow
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Wendy Waithe Simmons, PhD
MN WFS Project Director, State Services
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Omotunde Sowole-West
Whole Family Systems Liaison
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Deborah Stahl
Consultant, Special Projects
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Sherri Killins Stewart, EdD
Director of Systems Alignment and Integration, Co-Director of State Services
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Michelle Stover Wright
Research and Evaluation Director
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Cynthia L. Tate, PhD
State Services Liaison, PN-3 Hub Lead
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Xzandria Toombs
XChange Community Manager, PN-3 Capacity-Building Hub
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Ruth Trombka
Editor and Writer
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Crystal Williams
Communications Specialist
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Minnesota Early Chilldhood Fellowship
The BUILD Initiative has been given the opportunity to host three 10-month fellowships, with each fellow placed within a state project team supporting specific aspects of the implementation of Minnesota’s Preschool Development Grant B-5.
Eamon Whiteaker-Smith
Fellow
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