Same work, new name! NAECS-SDE is now NASLEE.
This customized executive leadership development program is exclusively designed for state leaders in early education.
The core competencies of the LA are built upon three pillars of leadership: Personal Leadership, Program Improvement and Organizational Leadership.
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
The goal of the NASLEE Leadership Academy is to increase leadership and organizational capacity of state early education leaders to implement effective early education programs and policy.
Selected state early education leaders will increase their knowledge and competencies in various dimensions of leadership. In turn, these increased leadership skills will result in more effective policy implementation and stronger impact on teachers, administrators, and ultimately children.
Meet Our 2025 Leadership Fellows
Ami Brooks
Ami Brooks is the Director of the Pre-K-3rd Grade Partnership at
the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. In this role, she leads the Alabama Pre-K-3rd Grade Integrated Approach to Early Learning as well as oversees the state-approved pre-K assessment tool, Teaching Strategies GOLD®. Most recently, Ami played a key role in the state revision and implementation of Alabama’s Kindergarten Entry Assessment, the Alabama Early Learning Inventory.
With 25 years of experience in early childhood education, Ami is a National Board Certified - Early Childhood Generalist and was a finalist for Alabama Teacher of the Year. Her career also includes extensive experience as an early childhood coach, earning Erickson
Professional Coach Certification.
Ami holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary
Education from Auburn University at Montgomery and a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Samford University.
Nicole Boone
Nicole Boone is the B-3 Policy Advisor/PDG B-5 Project Team Lead for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: Division of Child Development and Early Education. Nicole’s role at the division is to conduct
research, analyze data, and review policies related to best practices to ensure high quality services are accessible to children and their families, provide technical assistance and oversight to agencies receiving CCDF & PDG B-5 funding for the support of children in early childhood settings and provide ongoing communication and collaborative planning with internal and external partners related to early care and education quality initiatives.
Nicole has diverse experience in coaching, consultation, planning and implementation of various techniques with both administrators and teachers as well as grant management, and compliance monitoring. Nicole remains dedicated to ensuring that North Carolina’s youngest children and their families receive access to
high quality early childhood experiences and services.
Nicole has an M.A. degree in Education from Ashford University, now known as the University of Arizona Global Campus.
Carolyn Green
Carolyn Green is the Chief of Staff at Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). In this role, she oversees OCDEL’s five bureaus, and is responsible for developing
the office’s goals, objectives, and priorities. Some of her current projects include the implementation of the Child Care Development Fund Final Rule, execution of activities funded by the Preschool Development Grant, and support Pennsylvania’s child care and Early Intervention workforces.
Carolyn previously worked in the Office of Legislative Affairs for Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services and Department of Aging. These roles taught her the importance of compromise and
collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds and points of view.
Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science andEconomics from Saint Joseph’s University.
Neda Nicole Hall
Neda Nicole Hall is a Child Development Consultant with the Early Education Division of the California Department of Education. In her role, she oversees the implementation of an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant, which supports 10 rural partner agencies across California.
With over 20 years of experience in early childhood education, Neda has held diverse roles, including classroom and mentor teacher,
program director, education coordinator for a Head Start grantee, regional training and technical assistance specialist for the Office of Head Start, and adjunct professor of early childhood education.
Neda is passionate about fostering equitable practices in early education and actively pursues professional development
opportunities aimed at eliminating suspension and expulsion practices in early childhood programs.
She earned her master’s degree in child development, with a focus
on theory and research, from California State University,
Sacramento.
Kris Meyers
Kris Meyers is the Director of Quality Measurement and Improvement in the Office of Early Childhood at the Virginia Department of Education, directing the implementation and
management of the Virginia Quality Birth to Five (VQB5) system. In her role, she works closely with state and regional public-private partners to use data to evaluate and improve the measurement and improvement system for Virginia’s birth-K programs, to ensure positive school readiness outcomes and differentiate quality among programs in order to enable families to choose the best option for their children.
Previously, Kris worked at the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation where she served as the Director of Quality, being primarily responsible for co-administration of the state’s voluntary Quality
Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Prior to working at the state-level, Kris worked on local-level school readiness initiatives in Roanoke, Virginia, and as a K-2 public school teacher and reading specialist in Maryland and Colorado.
Kris earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from James Madison University and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Sarah Parks-Reese
Sarah Parks-Reese is the Assistant Director of Kindergarten Readiness at the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). In this role,
Sarah coordinates support for school-based early learning programs, provides educator and administrator professional development, promotes innovation and best practice both internally and externally, oversees the cyclical review of Indiana’s Early Learning Standards, provides content expertise, data analysis, and technical assistance to the field, and support to Hoosier families.
Sarah has spent over 25 years in early education, starting as a
preschool educator. Much of her career was spent as a Center Director of an early learning program and interacting directly with families and educators. She then transitioned to a position as a Director of Curriculum and supported directors in achieving a high-quality early learning environment for their children and families, and professional
development for their educators. Following that she came to IDOE to support schools in participating in Indiana’s Pre-K pilot at the time, On My Way Pre-K, before transitioning to her current role. She is also an
adjunct faculty member at Indiana Wesleyan University, teaching online courses in early childhood education.
Sarah has a master’s degree in education, with a focus on Early Childhood, from Ball State University.
Amy Reyes
Amy Reyes serves as the State Early Learning Specialist for the
Wyoming Department of Education. In this role she manages the TANF grant and the 14 PreK sites that are funded through it. She is the State Early Literacy Specialist and Outdoor Learning expert at the department. Amy oversees all things early childhood related at the state level including early intervention.
Amy previously worked as a Head Start Director and Montessori
Kindergarten Teacher.
Amy holds degrees in Child Development, Elementary Education with an endorsement in Early Childhood, Business Administration, andOrganizational Leadership with a minor in SpEd law.
Angela Shelton
Angela Shelton is the Workforce Supports Supervisor for the
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). In this role, Angela leads the Workforce Supports Team which develops and implements strategies to recruit and retain high-quality early childhood educators. She oversees Georgia Training Approval, the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards, and the state’s ECE Workforce Knowledge and Competencies. Additionally, she facilitates and supports professional learning initiatives for team members, ECE professionals, DECAL staff and partners.
Angela previously served DECAL as a Professional Learning
Specialist, leading the Quality Rated Peer Support Network, a
program for early learning leaders and administrators, and DECAL’s Early Learning Coach Designation Program. During her 20 years of experience in early education, she has also served as a Lead Instructional Coach, Birth-Five Language and Literacy Facilitator and as an early learning and elementary school teacher. Her expertise includes instructional coaching best practices, early learning language and literacy and professional development strategies.
Angela holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from
Walden University.
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Thank you for your vision to set the NASLEE leadership academy in action. It has been a remarkable experience to gather with some of the most elite experienced colleagues across the nation. Time and relationships will continue in the future no matter where our roles lead us.
—NASLEE Leadership Academy Fellow
Learn About Our Leadership Coaches
Coaches are experienced leaders in early childhood education and provide peer support and leadership expertise to the Leadership Academy.
In this role, Demetria leads initiatives that improve accessibility, quality, and affordability of early childhood services, including measuring the impact and effectiveness of early childhood initiatives. Demetria formerly led the Early Childhood Policy Fellowship at Bank Street College of Education. Demetria also formerly led curriculum, assessment, and instruction initiatives at the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
Director of Early Childhood Strategy Implementation at the Bainum Family Foundation
Demetria Joyce
Heather provides support and oversight for Michigan's state-funded preschool program for four-year-olds. Outside of state government, Heather is the Immediate Past President of the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children where she participates in various initiatives and workgroups seeking to improve opportunities for young children, their families, and the workforce.
Director of Early Childhood Education and Programming for the Livingston Educational Service Agency
Heather Lucas
Deb Adams started her career as a preschool teacher and then director of programs in eastern CT. Moving on to state level policy work she now helps the Office of Early Childhood develop trainers and coaches to support early childhood settings. Her work with Systems Thinking began 5 years ago and she is now a Systems Thinking facilitator.
Former Education Consultant for the CT State Department of Education (2006-2013) and CT Office of Early Childhood (2013-2025).
Deborah Adams
Nasha formerly served in various roles at the Louisiana Department of Education from 2012 -2020. In her role as Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood Strategy, she led the strategy to increase access to and quality of care and education for children in Louisiana through the state’s unified birth-to-five system.
Managing Director at Watershed Advisors
Nasha Patel
Annette Sutfin
Annette Sutfin is the Senior Regional Director for the Phoenix/Gila River Indian Community regional area at First Things First, Arizona’s early childhood agency. In this role, she oversees strategic planning,
supports regional councils, and collaborates with diverse
stakeholders to advance equitable early childhood systemsthat address local and statewide priorities.
With over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, Annette
has led initiatives focused on systems change, capacity building, and expanding access to services for children and families. Her work emphasizes fostering inclusive partnerships and driving measurable outcomes to improve community well-being.
Annette holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University, with a specialization in nonprofit administration and governance.
Brenda Vronko
Brenda Vronko is an education consultant with the Michigan
Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential,
within the Office of Early Learning and Family Services. In this capacity, she partners with Intermediate School Districts to administer Michigan’s state-funded PreK program for four-year-olds.Additionally, Brenda facilitates workgroups focused on policies, early childhood multi-tiered systems of support, and communication.
With an extensive 25-year background in early childhood education, Brenda has held various roles prior to her state government position. She has served as an early childhood administrator for an
Intermediate School District, a coach for PreK staff, an adjunct
professor at a community college, and a teacher in both preschool and kindergarten settings.
Brenda holds two master's degrees from Western Michigan
University, one in educational leadership and the other in early
childhood education. She is also a devoted wife and mother of four.