Why Childcare Solutions Matter to Your Business - 2021 Virtual Chamber Connect
Name:
Why Childcare Solutions Matter to Your Business - 2021 Virtual Chamber Connect
Date:
February 18, 2021
Time:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MST
Registration:
Register Now
Event Description:
Part of the Regional Recovery Talent Takeover
Although childcare options have been an issue for many years, the pandemic has exacerbated the concerns of working parents. With more than two-thirds of young children in Colorado living in households where all adults are in the workforce, attention to child care has risen to a new level.
So much so that in 2020, the National Women’s Law Center report which shows over 2 million women left the workforce in the United States in 2020. However, once the pandemic is over, childcare concerns will continue for both men and women.
Why should employers care?
• Affordable and accessible childcare and education affect an employee’s productivity or ability to work
• Productivity and employee turnover costs create financial burden on your company
• Creating a diverse and inclusive company becomes difficult if parents cannot find suitable childcare options
During this Chamber Connect, you will learn:
• How to quickly incorporate simple solutions into your employee benefit model
• Creative ways to create childcare programs for your workforce
• Where to find support from non-profits and government entities to develop these initiatives
• What funding is available for workplace childcare solutions
Panelists:
Diane Price, president and CEO at Early Connections Learning Centers
Diane L. Price is President and CEO of Early Connections Learning Centers. Early Connections is a 124 year old not for profit child care organization with six sites and 14 family child care homes in central and southeastern Colorado Springs. Early Connections serves over 700 children from the ages of 6 weeks to 14 years.
Diane has been with Early Connections since 1989 and under her leadership the organization expanded services from three centers to its current six sites, added care for infant and toddler age children, implemented a literacy focused curriculum, developed an innovative professional development program, expanded family support and collaborations such as Court Care for the Pikes Peak Region, full day full year Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms and Colorado Preschool Program community sites, and created The Home Network of the Pikes Peak Region.
Diane has an undergraduate degree in early care and education and has completed master’s level work in the field of early education. Diane serves on several local, state and national committees working on efforts to improve early care and education in Colorado.
Kelly Hurtado, early childhood director at Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families
Kelly Hurtado is the Early Childhood Director at Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families which houses Alliance for Kids, the Early Childhood Council for El Paso County. Kelly has worked her way through the field holding positions including Family Advocate, Teacher, Early Childhood Special Educator, Quality Improvement Coach and now focuses on systems-level work in El Paso County. Kelly has seen the needs of families and their children, the struggles that early childhood education programs face to set up our youngest learners for success in school and life, and the critical link between the success of the early childhood sector and local economic recovery. Her collaborative work challenges new partners to engage in the work of building a community that values children and families in order to create the future we want to see for generations to come. Kelly holds a Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University.
Nicole Riehl, EPIC Colorado
Nicole joined Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) as President & CEO in September of 2019. Her experience spans across the private and non-profit sectors, with her career beginning as an early childhood teacher at an on-site corporate child care program. After working in the financial sector on behalf of a large national homebuilder for several years, Nicole returned to early childhood and supported the quality ratings and onboarding of over 200 child care programs participating in the Denver Preschool Program after it was authorized by Denver voters in 2006. Her work grew to include the management of quality improvement initiatives and grant contracts at Qualistar Colorado, which sparked her passion for non-profit leadership and management.
Most recently, Nicole held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Denver’s Early Childhood Council, where she helped build a team of 30 staff and an organizational operating budget of $5.5 million over the course of 8 years.
Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Colorado at Denver and a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Management and Leadership from Duke University. She is also an alumna of several leadership development programs and stays active within the community as a volunteer and supporter of several organizations.
Nicole is a Colorado native and enjoys traveling, cycling, skiing, and staying active with her husband and daughter in her free time.
Can't make the event? Register to receive the video recording after the event.
Although childcare options have been an issue for many years, the pandemic has exacerbated the concerns of working parents. With more than two-thirds of young children in Colorado living in households where all adults are in the workforce, attention to child care has risen to a new level.
So much so that in 2020, the National Women’s Law Center report which shows over 2 million women left the workforce in the United States in 2020. However, once the pandemic is over, childcare concerns will continue for both men and women.
Why should employers care?
• Affordable and accessible childcare and education affect an employee’s productivity or ability to work
• Productivity and employee turnover costs create financial burden on your company
• Creating a diverse and inclusive company becomes difficult if parents cannot find suitable childcare options
During this Chamber Connect, you will learn:
• How to quickly incorporate simple solutions into your employee benefit model
• Creative ways to create childcare programs for your workforce
• Where to find support from non-profits and government entities to develop these initiatives
• What funding is available for workplace childcare solutions
Panelists:
Diane Price, president and CEO at Early Connections Learning Centers
Diane L. Price is President and CEO of Early Connections Learning Centers. Early Connections is a 124 year old not for profit child care organization with six sites and 14 family child care homes in central and southeastern Colorado Springs. Early Connections serves over 700 children from the ages of 6 weeks to 14 years.
Diane has been with Early Connections since 1989 and under her leadership the organization expanded services from three centers to its current six sites, added care for infant and toddler age children, implemented a literacy focused curriculum, developed an innovative professional development program, expanded family support and collaborations such as Court Care for the Pikes Peak Region, full day full year Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms and Colorado Preschool Program community sites, and created The Home Network of the Pikes Peak Region.
Diane has an undergraduate degree in early care and education and has completed master’s level work in the field of early education. Diane serves on several local, state and national committees working on efforts to improve early care and education in Colorado.
Kelly Hurtado, early childhood director at Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families
Kelly Hurtado is the Early Childhood Director at Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families which houses Alliance for Kids, the Early Childhood Council for El Paso County. Kelly has worked her way through the field holding positions including Family Advocate, Teacher, Early Childhood Special Educator, Quality Improvement Coach and now focuses on systems-level work in El Paso County. Kelly has seen the needs of families and their children, the struggles that early childhood education programs face to set up our youngest learners for success in school and life, and the critical link between the success of the early childhood sector and local economic recovery. Her collaborative work challenges new partners to engage in the work of building a community that values children and families in order to create the future we want to see for generations to come. Kelly holds a Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University.
Nicole Riehl, EPIC Colorado
Nicole joined Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) as President & CEO in September of 2019. Her experience spans across the private and non-profit sectors, with her career beginning as an early childhood teacher at an on-site corporate child care program. After working in the financial sector on behalf of a large national homebuilder for several years, Nicole returned to early childhood and supported the quality ratings and onboarding of over 200 child care programs participating in the Denver Preschool Program after it was authorized by Denver voters in 2006. Her work grew to include the management of quality improvement initiatives and grant contracts at Qualistar Colorado, which sparked her passion for non-profit leadership and management.
Most recently, Nicole held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Denver’s Early Childhood Council, where she helped build a team of 30 staff and an organizational operating budget of $5.5 million over the course of 8 years.
Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Colorado at Denver and a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Management and Leadership from Duke University. She is also an alumna of several leadership development programs and stays active within the community as a volunteer and supporter of several organizations.
Nicole is a Colorado native and enjoys traveling, cycling, skiing, and staying active with her husband and daughter in her free time.
Can't make the event? Register to receive the video recording after the event.
