Parents & Caregiver Voices: Why and How Did We Co-design an Advisory Cabinet?
Parents and caregivers are experts on their child yet their voices are often missing when decisions impacting their family are made.
In this session, we explored how to create a Parent/Caregiver Advisory Cabinet that empowered parents and caregivers as active partners in decision-making. We learned strategies for building a diverse, inclusive, and effective advisory group and discovered how co-creating with families led to more responsive, equitable, and impactful initiatives. Together, we strengthened community connections, elevated voices that were often unheard, and ensured that policies reflected the real needs of children and families. We heard from parents about their experiences and messages for policymakers across the nation.
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History in Wisconsin: Who Was Missing and Why Is This Important?
Archived Meeting Resources July 24, 2025
We launched an engaging and transformative mini-series focused on the power of collaboration in shaping policies and programs that impact children and families. Parents, educators, community leaders, researchers, and advocacy leaders from across Wisconsin began sharing their stories about supporting systems change in early care and education. In this session, we discussed Wisconsin's history, identified who was absent from the conversation, and explored why their involvement is crucial.
Under the Surface: Confronting Housing Access in Early Childhood
Archived Webinar July 16, 2025
Meet Monique Fountain Hanna: The BUILD Initiative’s Newest Staff Member
Blog June 30, 2025
The BUILD Initiative is thrilled to welcome Monique Fountain Hanna, MD, MPH, MBA, to our staff as Interim Director of State Services. Monique has over 23 years of experience transforming public health systems; driving health equity; overseeing the development of infant, maternal, and child health-serving systems; and advancing quality standards across the country.