Jocelyn D. Jones is a former licensed family child care provider of 12 years in the Georgia area and dynamic founder of Kappa Learning Group, LLC.

With over 26 years of experience in early childhood education, Jocelyn is a Georgia Approved Trainer and a Professional Development Specialist for the Council For Professional Recognition. She has mentored numerous early childhood professionals and presented at esteemed platforms such as Highscope, National CDA Council, and the National Black Child Development Institute. Her presentations on cultural relativism and self-identity in early learning environments have garnered widespread recognition.

Jocelyn’s academic achievements include a master’s degree in early childhood studies with a specialization in Teaching Adults Early Childhood Education from Walden University, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University and a Technical Credit Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Ellis College.

Jocelyn is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association of Family Childcare, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, National Afterschool Association, Highscope, Walden University Early Childhood Organization, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, and the Council For Professional Recognition. She also served on the Advisory Board for Ashworth College’s ECE Department.

Through her various initiatives, Jocelyn continues to inspire and uplift the early childhood education community globally. Her unwavering dedication to early childhood education, her passion for supporting educators, and her commitment to innovative learning approaches make her a leading figure in the field.

Jocelyn D. Jones is a former licensed family child care provider of 12 years in the Georgia area and dynamic founder of Kappa Learning Group, LLC.

With over 26 years of experience in early childhood education, Jocelyn is a Georgia Approved Trainer and a Professional Development Specialist for the Council For Professional Recognition. She has mentored numerous early childhood professionals and presented at esteemed platforms such as Highscope, National CDA Council, and the National Black Child Development Institute. Her presentations on cultural relativism and self-identity in early learning environments have garnered widespread recognition.

Jocelyn’s academic achievements include a master’s degree in early childhood studies with a specialization in Teaching Adults Early Childhood Education from Walden University, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University and a Technical Credit Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Ellis College.

Jocelyn is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association of Family Childcare, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, National Afterschool Association, Highscope, Walden University Early Childhood Organization, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, and the Council For Professional Recognition. She also served on the Advisory Board for Ashworth College’s ECE Department.

Through her various initiatives, Jocelyn continues to inspire and uplift the early childhood education community globally. Her unwavering dedication to early childhood education, her passion for supporting educators, and her commitment to innovative learning approaches make her a leading figure in the field.

Francia Wisnewski, Montague MA Francia Wisnewski is the Director of Membership and Community Engagement at the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). In this role, she is responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects related to membership engagement and growth. This includes developing and implementing strategies to attract new members, retaining existing ones, and fostering a sense of community and collaboration among family child care educators and other stakeholders within the organization. “I am honored to be working alongside the many passionate family child care educators and community allies in Early Childhood Education. I am thankful for the opportunity to be working with NAFCC, an organization that for decades has been committed to elevating family child care systems, keeping them the core of their work. I look forward to many years of strong collaborations and the many opportunities to keep driving this mission.” Francia has over 25 years of dedicated experience in the nonprofit, education, and community organizing sectors. Raised in Cali, Colombia, her professional journey began as a science teacher in South America. In addition, her passion for philanthropy, with an equity lens at the focus, has resulted in securing at millions in funding for for new programs and innovative educational workforce structures in the family childcare sector, across multiple states. Her focus on elevating community leadership and amplifying economic development opportunities has made her a recognized authority in this space. Francia holds a bachelor's degree in Science Teacher Education/ Licentiate in Biology and Chemistry from Universidad Del Valle in Cali, Colombia. She also holds a Masters of Education in Child Study and Early Childhood from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Francia’s commitment to this work is evident. Her dedication to creating a lasting impact drives her mission to support education, advocacy, and community engagement to contribute to the successful future pipeline of childcare educators. 

Jocelyn D. Jones is a former licensed family child care provider of 12 years in the Georgia area and dynamic founder of Kappa Learning Group, LLC.

With over 26 years of experience in early childhood education, Jocelyn is a Georgia Approved Trainer and a Professional Development Specialist for the Council For Professional Recognition. She has mentored numerous early childhood professionals and presented at esteemed platforms such as Highscope, National CDA Council, and the National Black Child Development Institute. Her presentations on cultural relativism and self-identity in early learning environments have garnered widespread recognition.

Jocelyn’s academic achievements include a master’s degree in early childhood studies with a specialization in Teaching Adults Early Childhood Education from Walden University, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University and a Technical Credit Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Ellis College.

Jocelyn is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association of Family Childcare, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, National Afterschool Association, Highscope, Walden University Early Childhood Organization, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, and the Council For Professional Recognition. She also served on the Advisory Board for Ashworth College’s ECE Department.

Through her various initiatives, Jocelyn continues to inspire and uplift the early childhood education community globally. Her unwavering dedication to early childhood education, her passion for supporting educators, and her commitment to innovative learning approaches make her a leading figure in the field.

Nancy Jimenez is the dedicated and passionate force behind Children's Garden, a bilingual Family Child Care provider with over 27 years of service in early childhood education. Since founding her home-based business in 1998, Nancy has found profound fulfillment in nurturing young minds and building a strong foundation for the future generation.

Residing in Morris County after spending most of her life in Essex County, Nancy lives with her husband and her Yorkie. Her three children, now college graduates, reflect her commitment to education and personal growth.

Nancy's extensive credentials highlight her expertise and dedication to quality child care. She is a nationally accredited educator through the National Association for Family Child Care and actively participates in the Grow NJ Kids program. She holds the Infant Toddler (CITE) and the Child Development Associate (Council of Professional Recognition) credentials. Notably, Nancy was among the first to complete the New Jersey Cultural Competency and English Language Learners (ELL) Institute and Mentoring Program (Thomas Edison State University). Additionally, she played a key role in the Grow NJ Kids pilot program, where she earned a star rating for her exceptional commitment.

Always eager to enhance her practice, Nancy continually seeks new knowledge and strategies to better serve her community. Her innovative spirit and dedication distinguish her as a leader in the field of family child care.

Nancy is the Central Chapter President of The Coalition of Infant/Toddler Educators (CITE), an Executive Board Member of the New Jersey Family Child Care Providers Association (NJFCCPA), and a leader of La Red de Educadoras Unidas de NJ. She is also involved with the United in Care Alliance and the Morris County Early Childhood Educators Shared Services Alliance (MCECE).

As a prominent advocate for early childhood education, Nancy has significantly contributed to the professional community by serving on panels and presenting at national and state conferences. Her expertise has influenced peers and policymakers, advanced the field and promoting best practices.

Currently enrolled in college to pursue a degree in early education, Nancy's ongoing commitment to learning and her innovative approach continues to inspire and impact the lives of families and fellow family child care educators.

Jocelyn D. Jones is a former licensed family child care provider of 12 years in the Georgia area and dynamic founder of Kappa Learning Group, LLC.

With over 26 years of experience in early childhood education, Jocelyn is a Georgia Approved Trainer and a Professional Development Specialist for the Council For Professional Recognition. She has mentored numerous early childhood professionals and presented at esteemed platforms such as Highscope, National CDA Council, and the National Black Child Development Institute. Her presentations on cultural relativism and self-identity in early learning environments have garnered widespread recognition.

Jocelyn’s academic achievements include a master’s degree in early childhood studies with a specialization in Teaching Adults Early Childhood Education from Walden University, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University and a Technical Credit Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Ellis College.

Jocelyn is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association of Family Childcare, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, National Afterschool Association, Highscope, Walden University Early Childhood Organization, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, and the Council For Professional Recognition. She also served on the Advisory Board for Ashworth College’s ECE Department.

Through her various initiatives, Jocelyn continues to inspire and uplift the early childhood education community globally. Her unwavering dedication to early childhood education, her passion for supporting educators, and her commitment to innovative learning approaches make her a leading figure in the field.

Jessica Mauricio Price works as the Eco-Health Child Care® Program Manager. Through this position, she helps provide education and actionable and low- cost techniques that child care facilities can take to help protect their children and staff from hazardous substance exposures. Jessica received her B.S. in Biology from Saint Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. Jessica decided early in her career to focus on helping prevent humans and animals from coming into contact with hazardous substances. She worked at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for nine years.

 Her roles at TCEQ included Project Manager, Ecological Risk Assessor, and Natural Resource Trustee. Through these roles, Jessica was able to help oversee the removal of hazardous substances from the environment. Jessica left her role at TCEQ to attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where she received her M.S. in Environmental Toxicology. The Texas Department of State Health Services then hired Jessica. Jessica worked in the Health Assessment and Toxicology program for five years as a Health Educator and Information Specialist.  In this role, Jessica facilitated communication between agency scientists and the community so residents could better understand how to protect themselves from exposure to hazardous chemicals. Jessica’s work interests now center around preventing childhood exposure to chemicals. She believes that if we protect our most vulnerable, children, we are stepping in the right direction of protecting society.

Elisabeth Repp, MHS is CEHN’s Eco-Healthy Child Care® Program Assistant. She received her BA in Community and Global Public Health from the University of Michigan and her Master’s of Health Science in Environmental Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has experience working on environmental health-related research projects, particularly those which prioritize community engagement. Her Southeast Michigan upbringing sparked her awareness of environmental injustice as the Flint, MI Water Crisis was a prominent event during her adolescent years. She is passionate about environmental and climate justice. In this role, she aims to help bring awareness to environmental health issues which impact children and assist in mitigating childhood exposures to environmental hazards.

Hester Paul, MS, National Director of Eco-Healthy Child Care^® has worked with CEHN since 2010. Prior to joining CEHN, Ms. Paul led the initial national expansion of the EHCC program under Oregon Environmental Council, the statewide environmental organization that founded EHCC. Ms. Paul strategically directs CEHN’s efforts to uplift environmental health as a core tenet of health and safety, for the field of early care and education. In 2008, Ms. Paul created the EHCC National Advisory Committee (NAC); the NAC is the only national child care committee dedicated to improving environmental health best practices within early care and learning settings. Ms. Paul serves as an advisor to Child Care Aware of America’s National Advisory Council on Healthy Child Care, as well as state environmental health committees for child care. She has led EHCC’s impactful work to incorporate environmental health best practices into national accreditation platforms, national health and safety standards for child care, state licensing regulations as well as state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for long term sustainability. Ms. Paul co-created EHCC’s six hour Train the Trainer curriculum, now offered as an e-learning course which offers adult learning clock hours in all states. She has extensive non-profit program management experience and served previously as the Director of Provider Services at the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency - Children’s Council of San Francisco. Ms. Paul resides in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and their three children. 

Jessica Mauricio Price works as the Eco-Health Child Care® Program Manager. Through this position, she helps provide education and actionable and low- cost techniques that child care facilities can take to help protect their children and staff from hazardous substance exposures. Jessica received her B.S. in Biology from Saint Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. Jessica decided early in her career to focus on helping prevent humans and animals from coming into contact with hazardous substances. She worked at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for nine years.

 Her roles at TCEQ included Project Manager, Ecological Risk Assessor, and Natural Resource Trustee. Through these roles, Jessica was able to help oversee the removal of hazardous substances from the environment. Jessica left her role at TCEQ to attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where she received her M.S. in Environmental Toxicology. The Texas Department of State Health Services then hired Jessica. Jessica worked in the Health Assessment and Toxicology program for five years as a Health Educator and Information Specialist.  In this role, Jessica facilitated communication between agency scientists and the community so residents could better understand how to protect themselves from exposure to hazardous chemicals. Jessica’s work interests now center around preventing childhood exposure to chemicals. She believes that if we protect our most vulnerable, children, we are stepping in the right direction of protecting society.

Hester Paul, MS, National Director of Eco-Healthy Child Care^® has worked with CEHN since 2010. Prior to joining CEHN, Ms. Paul led the initial national expansion of the EHCC program under Oregon Environmental Council, the statewide environmental organization that founded EHCC. Ms. Paul strategically directs CEHN’s efforts to uplift environmental health as a core tenet of health and safety, for the field of early care and education. In 2008, Ms. Paul created the EHCC National Advisory Committee (NAC); the NAC is the only national child care committee dedicated to improving environmental health best practices within early care and learning settings. Ms. Paul serves as an advisor to Child Care Aware of America’s National Advisory Council on Healthy Child Care, as well as state environmental health committees for child care. She has led EHCC’s impactful work to incorporate environmental health best practices into national accreditation platforms, national health and safety standards for child care, state licensing regulations as well as state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for long term sustainability. Ms. Paul co-created EHCC’s six hour Train the Trainer curriculum, now offered as an e-learning course which offers adult learning clock hours in all states. She has extensive non-profit program management experience and served previously as the Director of Provider Services at the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency - Children’s Council of San Francisco. Ms. Paul resides in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and their three children. 

Jessica Mauricio Price works as the Eco-Health Child Care® Program Manager. Through this position, she helps provide education and actionable and low- cost techniques that child care facilities can take to help protect their children and staff from hazardous substance exposures. Jessica received her B.S. in Biology from Saint Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. Jessica decided early in her career to focus on helping prevent humans and animals from coming into contact with hazardous substances. She worked at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for nine years.

 Her roles at TCEQ included Project Manager, Ecological Risk Assessor, and Natural Resource Trustee. Through these roles, Jessica was able to help oversee the removal of hazardous substances from the environment. Jessica left her role at TCEQ to attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where she received her M.S. in Environmental Toxicology. The Texas Department of State Health Services then hired Jessica. Jessica worked in the Health Assessment and Toxicology program for five years as a Health Educator and Information Specialist.  In this role, Jessica facilitated communication between agency scientists and the community so residents could better understand how to protect themselves from exposure to hazardous chemicals. Jessica’s work interests now center around preventing childhood exposure to chemicals. She believes that if we protect our most vulnerable, children, we are stepping in the right direction of protecting society.

Empowering Family Child Care Providers

 Jerletha McDonald is a social entrepreneur, family child care business consultant, and national speaker. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Studies with a minor in Early Childhood Intervention from Stephen F. Austin State University. For 15 years, Jerletha owned and operated Nurturing Gifts Infant and Toddler Center, a family child care center. She is the founder of the Arlington DFW Family Child Care Network and has over 20 years of experience in Early Childhood Education.

Jerletha served as the Senior Manager of Membership and Volunteer Affairs for the National Association for Family Child Care for 3 years. She now works as a family child care consultant and subject matter expert specializing in Family Child Care.  Jerletha has a special interest in the economic development of women of color in early care and education, with a primary focus on Family Child Care. Jerletha works with family childcare entrepreneurs to help them transition into regulated operations, build sustainable business models, and develop financial plans. She has conducted trainings on business mindset, marketing, leadership development, family child care startups, and more. Jerletha has also presented keynotes and workshops at local, state, and national events.

In April 2016, Jerletha was recognized by the Grand Prairie NAACP as one of the Most Influential Women in Business. In 2018, she was appointed to Governor Greg Abbott's Early Learning Council, representing family child care providers in Texas. In 2020, she received the North Texas Early Childhood Leadership Award from Child Care Associates. 

Jocelyn D. Jones is a former licensed family child care provider of 12 years in the Georgia area and dynamic founder of Kappa Learning Group, LLC.

With over 26 years of experience in early childhood education, Jocelyn is a Georgia Approved Trainer and a Professional Development Specialist for the Council For Professional Recognition. She has mentored numerous early childhood professionals and presented at esteemed platforms such as Highscope, National CDA Council, and the National Black Child Development Institute. Her presentations on cultural relativism and self-identity in early learning environments have garnered widespread recognition.

Jocelyn’s academic achievements include a master’s degree in early childhood studies with a specialization in Teaching Adults Early Childhood Education from Walden University, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Bethune-Cookman University and a Technical Credit Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Ellis College.

Jocelyn is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association of Family Childcare, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, National Afterschool Association, Highscope, Walden University Early Childhood Organization, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, and the Council For Professional Recognition. She also served on the Advisory Board for Ashworth College’s ECE Department.

Through her various initiatives, Jocelyn continues to inspire and uplift the early childhood education community globally. Her unwavering dedication to early childhood education, her passion for supporting educators, and her commitment to innovative learning approaches make her a leading figure in the field.