How long have you been with Cadence?
I was with Prime-Time Early Learning for 16 years before being acquired by Cadence in 2019, so in total I’ve been in this career for 21 years.
Tell us about your career journey – where did you start and what is your position now?
I started my career with Prime Time Early Learning where I was a floating teacher’s assistant while I was in college. To be honest I didn’t think I was going to make it after day two of being in the two-year-old classroom. I made the decision to stick it out and started to love what I was doing. I found my passion working with infants and was promoted to an infant teacher and shortly after became an afternoon supervisor. I did this for about three years, until I graduated college and started to assist the Regional Director. The company decided to open another school and I took on most of the administrative work and operations for this location. Once the school was ready to open, I approached the owners to see if they would consider me for the school director’s position and they did. Before the school opened, I enrolled 68 children who were ready to start on the first day, and later grew that program to 200 children. I hired a brand-new administrative team along with teachers to ensure we were ready for opening day. It was a huge undertaking at the time and a big learning experience, but it forced me to learn about different aspects of the business. I use that experience now and it really helps me relate to a new manager coming into the role for the first time in their career or with the company. I can appreciate and understand the life of a director and the day-to-day demands, and the commitment it takes to start from the ground up with a whole new team while having to build an entire program. I was later promoted to Operations Director and remained in that position until Cadence acquired us. Now I am an Area Manager.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is seeing those around me successfully grow and develop in their position within the company and being part of that process. In addition, I love seeing how happy the children are to come to school and the rapport that I build with the teachers, administrators, and families.
What is unique about your territory?
There are so many unique qualities about this region but the one that sticks out the most is that it’s a melting pot of so many different cultures and backgrounds. When I was a director running a school that was across the river from NYC, I had diplomats from various countries who brought their children to us. This provided me with valuable insight into different cultures and allowed me to learn so much and incorporate that into the program. It also gave me a better understanding of what the challenges were for these families. Professionally it taught me the importance of customer service and how important it was to make families feel welcomed and safe in not just a new environment but a new country.
We also have so many amazing teachers who have been with the company for many years, and leaders who have over 75 years of experience combined, not only in the field but as leaders. This region has so much opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing it grow.
How do you encourage your team to foster an inclusive environment and to be the best they can be?
The culture that we have in this region is very important and it allows everyone to speak openly without judgement. We try our best to be solution minded and think outside the box when it comes to challenges and take into consideration what the other is feeling or thinking. I have always done my best to create an environment that allows anyone to approach me in any situation that isn’t sitting right with them or to just acknowledge something that they really like. I have always wanted them to feel supported and let them know that they aren’t in this alone. They all go to one another for support or guidance, and I take pride in creating that commodity within the region.
What recommendations do you have for anyone wanting a career in early childhood education?
In this career or any career path that you choose, I truly believe you need to be passionate about what you do and know that what you are doing is making a difference. In this field it’s the little things that make a big difference. A baby doesn’t just start walking, they fall many times before they achieve this milestone, the same thing goes for advancing your career. Take the first step and no matter how many times you fall or think you can’t do it, keep going! Continue to learn in steps and don’t look at the big picture, you will never know everything, and there is always a teachable moment. Be confident in yourself and always make others feel like what they say and do matters, because it does! Always be consistent and do what you say, this is how you earn trust amongst your peers and build confidence in yourself. Finally, no matter what position you’re in, making a difference starts with loving what you do and making those around you love it too!
What is unique about your territory?
There are so many unique qualities about this region but the one that sticks out the most is that it’s a melting pot of so many different cultures and backgrounds. When I was a director running a school that was across the river from NYC, I had diplomats from various countries who brought their children to us. This provided me with valuable insight into different cultures and allowed me to learn so much and incorporate that into the program. It also gave me a better understanding of what the challenges were for these families. Professionally it taught me the importance of customer service and how important it was to make families feel welcomed and safe in not just a new environment but a new country.
We also have so many amazing teachers who have been with the company for many years, and leaders who have over 75 years of experience combined, not only in the field but as leaders. This region has so much opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing it grow.