We’re thrilled to welcome Jess as our new Director of Early Childhood Education! Jess has worn many hats – mom, teacher and policymaker – each giving her a unique perspective on what children, families and educators need to thrive. Her journey has taken her from classrooms to program administration and now into leadership, where she brings all those experiences together.
In this Q&A, Jess shares what inspired her, the moments that shaped her career and why this is such a pivotal time for Connecticut’s youngest learners.
1. What first inspired you to work in Early Childhood Education?
I was fortunate to attend a small, community-based nursery school in New Haven that was diverse, nurturing and led by a remarkable community leader. Later, when my mom became an early elementary school teacher, I saw how deeply she impacted children. Even as a political science major, I felt nothing more direct or meaningful than teaching. That conviction took me to Louisiana, where I began teaching first grade and gradually moved to younger ages. The earlier I went, the clearer it became: secure attachments and high-quality early experiences shape everything that follows.
2. What defining moment shaped your approach to this work?
When I joined a turnaround public charter network in New Orleans, I realized it wasn’t just about my classroom – it was about how adults were supported, organized and cared for. Same kids, same families, same temporary trailers – but the outcomes were completely different because the adults had backing. That showed me educators can’t carry this alone. They need communities that invest in their well-being, leadership that values their growth and real compensation for the weight of the job.
3. What values or principles guide your decision-making in this field? A core principle for me is that every link in the chain matters – leaders, teachers and families are all essential. If even one link is weak or missing, children won’t get the full benefit of our efforts. Strong leadership sets the tone by investing in teachers, and in turn, teachers invest in children and families. Equally important is staying close to the ground. Policymakers and system leaders can’t afford to drift away from the day-to-day realities in classrooms and homes. Having lived experience in leadership is invaluable and it isn’t enough on its own – we need continuous, two-way dialogue with the people doing this work every day to really understand their challenges and design solutions that stick.
5. Why do you think now is such a pivotal time for Early Childhood Education in Connecticut?
The need has always been urgent, and families and communities can’t wait, but right now, Connecticut has a unique window of opportunity. This moment isn’t an accident; it’s the result of decades of groundwork laid by providers, educators and advocates who kept pushing for change. What makes today different is that all the pieces are aligning at once: we have political will, a governor and legislature prioritizing early childhood and leaders with lived experience driving the work. Just as important, we have the infrastructure to sustain momentum – advocates, philanthropy and community organizations that are organized and ready to hold everyone accountable.
6. Have you ever had a “full-circle” moment where you saw your work make a difference for a child in a way that reaffirmed your choice of career?
Yes. When I was teaching in New Orleans, I was humbled by the veteran educators I worked alongside, people who had carried this incredibly demanding work for decades. They kept the system afloat for children and families, even when the system was failing them. Watching their perseverance, their skills and the quiet power of their impact left a deep impression on me. It reaffirmed my conviction that educators aren’t just part of the system – they are the system. Their lived expertise isn’t optional; it’s essential to building early childhood systems that actually work.
7. If you could change one public misconception about early childhood education, what would it be?
It truly baffles me that so many people still don’t grasp how critical the birth-to-five period is, especially birth-to-three. We’ve made progress in building awareness around the importance of preschool, but infant and toddler care remain vastly underappreciated. Too often, people assume that raising their own children gives them a full understanding of what quality care looks like, but that misses science: brain architecture, sensitive developmental windows, and the foundations of language are all being built long before children are talking or walking. Caring for infants and toddlers requires incredible expertise and should be recognized as one of the most prestigious professions in our society. And yet, despite knowing how consequential these years are, we continue to underinvest in the people who do this work.