Erikson’s Executive Fellows Program Aims to Change Systems

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, July 16, 2024 — Erikson Institute is proud to announce the sixth cohort of its Executive Fellows program. The program’s intent is to elevate the science of early childhood development to top decision-makers who influence policy, determine resource allocations, and shape the educational experience of young children.

“All systems have a profound impact on child development, and we encourage leaders to incorporate early childhood into their strategies and decision-making to change our systems,” said Penny Smith, Director of Learning and Impact at Erikson.

Erikson’s Executive Fellows program applies a racial equity lens to share with Illinois leaders the long-term benefits of supporting children from ages 0 to 5, the most critical time for brain development. The program helps leaders explore solutions that result in equitable access to resources, programs, and services for young children and their families.

“The changes implemented by alums of the program are ten-fold, and we are continually hearing from fellows post-program about how they are applying their Erikson learnings to their work,” said Smith.

Leaders who participated in the Executive Fellows program have gone on to incorporate services to address early childhood trauma in the juvenile court system, in professional development on childhood trauma among courtroom judges and staff, and proposed and passed a one-time child tax credit to list a few examples of the program’s impact.

A transformative component of the program is Service Day, where leaders shadow and do the work of early childhood professionals in both home- and center-based early care and educational programs in Chicago. They read to children, serve meals, engage with families, and lead learning activities in the classroom. This first-hand experience leaves a powerful impression as leaders learn the weight of responsibilities teachers and staff are responsible for and the imbalance in their compensation.

2024 Erikson Executive Fellows

(Read bios)

• Dr. Marcus Alexander, Superintendent of Schools, Calumet Public School District #132
• Representative Dagmara Avelar, Illinois State House of Representatives, 85th District
• Lauren Barone, MPH, Director, Primary Care and Workforce, American Academy of Pediatrics
• Denise Barreto, Chief Equity and Engagement Officer, Chicago Transit Authority
• Nathaniel George Booker, Village President and Mayor, Village of Maywood
• Asia Canady, Program and Partnerships Manager, The Hunter Family Foundation
• Dr. Bonita Carr, CEO, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Cook County
• Candis Castillo, Political Director, Service Employees International Union, Healthcare Illinois Indiana Missouri Kansas (SEIU HCIIMK)
• Molly Cullum, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Schreiber Philanthropy
• Karen G. Foley, President & CEO, Juvenile Protective Association
• Cory Gold, Chief of Staff, Department of Human Services Division of Early Childhood
• Senator Adriane Johnson, Illinois State Senate, 30th District
• Dr. Gina Lathan, Co-Owner and President, Route History Museum
• Jennifer Mason, Vice-Chancellor, Legislative and Community Affairs, City Colleges of Chicago
• Elizabeth Ojeda-Jimenez, President, Berwyn South School District 100 Board of Education
• Sean Park, Program Director, Value-Added Sustainable Development Center, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University
• Mary Joly Stein, Chief, Child Protection Division, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office
• Judge Lisa Michelle Taylor, Circuit Court of Cook County
• Dominic Tocci, Deputy Bureau Chief, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development
• Shreepada Tripathy, MD MBA MS-SA FAAP FHM, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, School of Medicine at Southern Illinois University
• Robert Vickery, Director, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice

The Executive Fellows program is housed under Erikson’s Early Childhood Leadership Academy, which designs programs with the belief that if a critical mass of cross‐sector leaders has a deeper understanding of child development, early care and education, and their potential to influence policy, then more effective policy solutions will emerge, which will lead to improved outcomes for young children and their families exemplified in 1) Increased access and improved quality of programs and services; 2) Aligned and integrated systems and 3) the presence of widespread resource equity for all children. For more information, please visit the website.

Erikson Institute educates, inspires, and promotes leadership to serve the needs of children and families. We have the premier graduate school dedicated to child development. We provide direct services to our community’s children and families. We are leaders in influencing early childhood policy. We work tirelessly every day so that all children can achieve optimal educational, social, emotional, and physical well-being. At Erikson, we know that investing in the early years of children will last a lifetime.

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