Our Team

Staff
Board
VA Business Roundtable for Early Education

Staff
Board
VA Business Roundtable for Early Education

Kathy Glazer

President

Kathy Glazer

President

Kathy Glazer joined the Foundation as president in 2012. Under her leadership and with a talented team, the Foundation promotes innovative partnerships to ensure that every region in Virginia will ensure equitable opportunities for all families with young children to thrive. Previously she worked in early childhood policy roles including with the national BUILD Initiative and in Virginia state government, where she led the development of key initiatives including the Smart Beginnings network and establishment of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. Kathy has helped secure policy achievements and major investments from public and private sources for Virginia’s progress in advancing school readiness for young children. She enjoys working with national colleagues to develop policy guides including the National Academies’ Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education report, SREB’s Building a Strong Foundation: State Policy for Early Childhood Education, and Alliance for Early Success’ Build Stronger: A Child Care Policy Roadmap for Transforming our Nation’s Child Care Roadmap. Kathy received her BA from the University of Georgia and MPA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, 107
Email:kathy@vecf.org

Susanne Bell

President-elect

Nicole Alexander

Operations Coordinator, Mixed Delivery

Nicole Alexander

Operations Coordinator, Mixed Delivery

Nicole Alexander serves as Operations Coordinator providing essential project and administrative support for the Mixed Delivery program. She has a deep appreciation for collaborative early childhood systems building and is dedicated to supporting work that increases access to high-quality early childhood care and education. Nicole previously served as a Special Education teacher, an Assistant early learning Program Director, an Infant and Toddler Specialist and, most recently, as an Early Education Specialist for an early childhood scholarship program. Nicole holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Christopher Newport University and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 127
Email:nicole@vecf.org

Karin Bowles

Vice President of Strategy

Karin Bowles

Vice President of Strategy

As the Vice President of Strategy, Karin focuses on building strategic partnerships to advance school readiness, working with the legislature, business community and early childhood stakeholders to increase public awareness and advance policies in support of an equitable, high-quality early childhood system in Virginia. Her past experiences include appointments at the White House, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the US Department of State. Karin received her bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary and her master’s degree from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 121
Email:karin@vecf.org

Nick Boyd

Data and Operations Coordinator, Mixed Delivery

Nick Boyd

Data and Operations Coordinator, Mixed Delivery

Nick Boyd serves as the Data and Operations Coordinator, Mixed Delivery, with the Finance and Operations team at the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science at the University of Mary Washington. Nick has worked in a variety of data collection and processing roles as well as customer service. He brings a passion for supporting both VECF and early childhood care and education programs.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 126
Email:nick@vecf.org

Sharon Brager

Fund Development Manager

Sharon Brager

Fund Development Manager

Sharon Brager serves as Fund Development Manager, overseeing outreach and engagement with VECF’s private sector partners, including corporations, foundations and individuals. A primary focus of Sharon’s work is grant writing and cultivation and stewardship of donor gifts. Sharon has more than 30 years experience in fund development, having started her career in Washington, DC after graduating from Duke University with a degree in economics. She has worked with a range of non-profit organizations in Richmond and feels passionately about the importance that a quality early childhood experience can play in one’s future. She enjoys walking her dogs and spending time outdoors with her husband and three daughters.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 102
Email:sharon@vecf.org

Julie Burns

Operations Coordinator, Ready Regions

Julie Burns

Operations Coordinator, Ready Regions

Julie Burns serves as the Operations Coordinator, Ready Regions, with the Finance and Operations team at the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. Having worked in a variety of educational settings such as schools, museums, libraries, and nonprofits, she brings a passion for education and a strong administrative and customer service background to her role at VECF. Julie holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Mary Washington and a Master of Arts in Teaching from George Washington University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 136
Email:julie@vecf.org

Chris Chase

Ready Regions Coordinated enrollment manager

Chris Chase

Ready Regions Coordinated enrollment manager

As the Ready Regions Coordinated Enrollment Manager, Chris Chase provides project management for the development of a Virginia Coordinated Enrollment platform. He is committed to supporting Virginia communities through the development of a system that facilitates and eases the connection between families seeking care and early childhood care and education sites. Prior to joining VECF, Chris was a physical and health education teacher, and most recently served as the Access and Engagement Coordinator for Ready Region West. Chris received his Bachelor’s in Kinesiology and Master of Arts in Teaching from James Madison University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 104
Email:chris@vecf.org

Grace Eckel

SENIOR ADVISOR - INNOVATIONS

Grace Eckel

SENIOR ADVISOR - INNOVATIONS

As the Senior Advisor - Innovations, Grace Eckel focuses on advancing strategic, systems-level solutions through the statewide scaling and sustainability of early childhood innovations. Prior to joining VECF, Grace led key early childhood initiatives for the state of Colorado, including the policy design and implementation of the Colorado Preschool Program, the strategic allocation of the state's early childhood federal stimulus funding, and the launch of the cabinet-level Colorado Department of Early Childhood. Grace has a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of Virginia.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 137
Email:grace@vecf.org

Robin Grossman

Operations Director

Robin Grossman

Operations Director

Robin Grossman is the Operations Director for VECF. She enjoys seeing the big picture of VECF’s scope of work and diving into the details of project and operations management to create efficiencies for our work. She has more than 20 years of project management experience including serving as an AmeriCorps Member in central Kentucky, directing service-learning efforts for Emory & Henry College, and managing early childhood grant-funded initiatives with United Way of Southwest Virginia. When she’s not deep into the details of operations, Robin enjoys gardening, photography, time with her family, and exploring urban and mountain settings on foot.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 124
Email:robin@vecf.org

Amy Hatheway

Vice President of Community Networks

Amy Hatheway

Vice President of Community Networks

As the Vice President of Community Networks, Amy Hatheway leads efforts to help communities build equitable systems that make it possible for all young children and their families to thrive. Amy has worked as a preschool teacher, early interventionist, parent educator and Head Start administrator, and was a founding member of several local and regional early childhood coalitions. Before coming to VECF, she was Vice President of Planning and Resource Development for a community action agency where she and her team were responsible for program design, planning, assessment, and grant writing for its 25 anti-poverty programs. In her work with children, families, and early childhood leaders, she’s learned that there’s no ceiling on what people can accomplish when they put their minds to it.

Phone:+1 (540) 580-6907
Email:amy@vecf.org

Jade Jarrell

Senior Operations Coordinator, Finance

Jade Jarrell

Senior Operations Coordinator, Finance

Jade currently serves as Senior Operations Coordinator, Finance, for VECF. She earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. Beginning her career in diagnostic and stabilization services, Jade developed a passion for therapeutic programs, specifically those tailored to the emotional development of children in residential settings. She continued her career as a Case Manager providing Mental Health Skill Building and Intensive In-Home services for adults. For the last year and a half, Jade served as both Behavioral Therapist and Operations Coordinator for Next Steps Behavioral Centers, offering ABA and EIBI for children diagnosed with Autism and related disabilities. With a wide range of community and clinical experience, Jade also brings a strong administrative background to her new role at VECF.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 134
Email:jade@vecf.org

Emily Keenum

Senior Director, Ready Regions

Emily Keenum

Senior Director, Ready Regions

As the Senior Director, Ready Regions, Emily Keenum leads technical assistance planning for Virginia’s statewide network of Ready Regions. She is dedicated to producing learning processes that connect partners responsible for on-the-ground early childhood systems-building to consultants and experts in early childhood policy, program, and research. Through targeted skill-building and supporting individual and organizational capacity, Ready Regions can deliver early childhood systems that ensure all Virginia families and young children thrive. Emily received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 117
Email:emily@vecf.org

Bridget King

Vice President of Operations

Bridget King

Vice President of Operations

Bridget King is the Vice President of Operations for VECF. She spent nearly 15 years at Mile High United Way in Denver, Colorado developing her operations expertise through supporting collaboration between all areas of the organization to build efficiencies to enable meaningful impact for the community. She received her bachelor’s degree from University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. In addition to project management, process development and being in the details, Bridget enjoys reading, traveling, cheering on her daughter at basketball games, theater and spending time with her husband and daughter.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 133
Email:bridget@vecf.org

Erica Knowles

Coordinator, Family Child Care and Business Supports

Erica Knowles

Coordinator, Family Child Care and Business Supports

Erica serves as Coordinator, Family Child Care and Business Supports. With over 20 years of experience in child care operations, Erica has helped transform struggling centers across the country into thriving businesses, working as a center director and later with nationwide training and coaching organizations. As a military spouse, she understands firsthand the unique challenges families face in diverse communities. She's worked directly with hundreds of child care business owners, supporting them in building sustainable operations. Erica is a graduate of Penn State University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 138
Email:erica@vecf.org

Jenna Martin

Senior Coordinator, Mixed Delivery

Jenna Martin

Senior Coordinator, Mixed Delivery

As a career early childhood professional, Jenna Martin brings a deep, well-cultivated appreciation for the vital importance of early education initiatives in all their various forms. With direct experience as an educator, program director, and non-profit leader Jenna has seen—from multiple angles—the fundamental difference quality early childhood education makes. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Massachusetts.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 135
Email:jenna@vecf.org

Maria Perez-Lent

Operations Coordinator, Policy and Advocacy

Maria Perez-Lent

Operations Coordinator, Policy and Advocacy

Maria serves as the Operations Coordinator, Policy and Advocacy, with the Finance and Operations team at VECF. She brings career experience working in nonprofits and government settings. Most recently she worked with the New York State Contact Tracing Initiative where she utilized her fluency in problem solving, project management, public engagement, and strategic planning to assist local school districts in their efforts to reopen and remain operational during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her passion for being a resource for individuals, communities, and organizations is at the heart of what drives her professionally. Maria holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the State University of New York at Albany.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 128
Email:maria@vecf.org

Angela Rice

Administrative Services Coordinator

Angela Rice

Administrative Services Coordinator

Angela Rice serves as the Administrative Services Coordinator. She supports the efforts of the President as well as multiple teams in the organization by coordinating daily tasks and projects for various programs and grants under VECF’s umbrella of services. A Virginia Commonwealth University graduate, Angela brings to VECF keen reasoning, time management and data analysis skills as well as the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 101
Email:angela@vecf.org

Becky Tippett

Senior Advisor, Data and Accountability

Becky Tippett

Senior Advisor, Data and Accountability

As the Senior Advisor, Data and Accountability, Becky works with a diverse team to ensure that the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation’s programs deliver on their promise to support the quality, equity, and sustainability of Virginia’s early childhood care and education system. Prior to joining VECF, Becky founded and directed Carolina Demography, an applied research unit at the University of North Carolina that used population-level data and other research to provide context and perspective to people and organizations working to shape the state’s future. She earned a BA in Sociology and Political Science from The Ohio State University and an MA and PhD in Sociology from Duke University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 125
Email:becky@vecf.org

Abigail Vo

Director, Mixed Delivery

Abigail Vo

Director, Mixed Delivery

As Director, Mixed Delivery, Abigail Vo supports regional leaders as they help providers implement this innovative model for increasing equitable access to high-quality early childhood care and education. Abigail began her career as an early childhood special educator and went on to conduct research on relationship-based models for promoting healthy social-emotional development in young children. She has also conducted research in other content areas, served as a consultant and coach for providers and families, and worked as a nonprofit grant coordinator. Abigail received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia, and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 103
Email:Abigail@vecf.org

Terri Ziegler

Finance Manager

Terri Ziegler

Finance Manager

Terri Ziegler serves as the Finance Manager for VECF. She works closely with other members of the Finance and Operations team as well as the Community Networks Team to manage various grants. Terri also works with subrecipients to ensure that payments are processed in a timely manner as well as updating budget revision requests. Terri has many years of experience helping with financial accounting for both small businesses and not-for-profits. Before joining VECF in March of 2020, Terri spent the previous 11 years working at RCG CPA Advisors. Terri enjoys escaping to the mountains with her husband and her dog, Millie on as many weekends as possible.

Phone:+1 (804) 358-8323, ext. 131
Email:terri@vecf.org