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Current Priorities
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The Business Leaders Work Group strives to develop strategies and solutions to increase access to and quality of child care in the region, through advocacy, leadership and innovation throughout Virginia’s Southeastern region.
Action items:
- Convene an annual Early Childhood Executive Briefing for Southeastern Virginia stakeholders
- 2024: 1st Annual Executive Briefing on the Economics of Early Childhood in Hampton Roads- Towne Point Club
- 2025: 2nd Annual Executive Briefing on the Economics of Early Childhood in Hampton Roads - Chartway Arena at Old Dominion University
- Explore local supply/demand and workforce data in Southeastern Region
- Explore state-level impact on business data
- Pilot an ECCE Gap Analysis and Capacity Building project with Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and Reinvestment Fund
- Apply for Dept of Labor planning grant, to build a strategic plan for building a robust supply of child care providers throughout our region.
- Align future action steps with VBREE – Virginia Business Roundtable for Early Education
- Recruit additional business leaders within the Hampton Roads region
Child care is an important ecosystem and everybody in our region plays a part in making it a success; currently, we’ve got a few pegs in the system missing that keeps us from making it a well-oiled machine. I’m ready to help dive-in to dissect the current system and explore ways to make child care a lucrative and clear career pathway.
Whitney Lester
Hampton Roads Workforce Council, Senior Director of Talent Development
Working Group Members
Jacklyn Banas, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU
Beverly Clymer, US Navy, Mid Atlantic Region
Dr. Dana Childress, Old Dominion University
Carolene Goodwyn-Harris, Bryant & Stratton College
Elise Harold Lans, Cape Henry Collegiate
Whitney Lester, Hampton Roads Workforce Council
Drew Lumpkin, Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable
Brenda Roberts, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans' District Director
Amelia Scott, YMCA of South Hampton Roads
Jo Ann Short, The Planning Council
Contact Beth Parker for more information at ParkerEK@ODU.EDU