Upcoming events
Success Spotlight: Parent Leadership Wins in Action
Gain inspiration and practical insights from successful parent leadership initiatives across the country.
Cap off the series with an inspiring showcase of successful parent leadership initiatives from across the country. Hear directly from parent leaders and their professional partners about the challenges they've overcome, the impact they've made, and the lessons they've learned along the way. This session will highlight innovative approaches to embedding family leadership within early childhood systems and demonstrate the powerful outcomes that result from authentic parent-professional collaboration. Gain practical insights and renewed motivation to strengthen parent leadership efforts in your own community or organization.
Breaking Barriers: Empowering Diverse Parent Leaders in Early Childhood
Explore how to address systemic barriers and create pathways to leadership for historically underrepresented parents in early childhood systems.
Address the complex intersections of race, culture, and parent leadership in early childhood systems. This powerful session will feature organizations and parent leaders who are breaking down systemic barriers and creating pathways to leadership for historically underrepresented groups. Explore sensitive topics such as implicit bias, cultural competence, and the lasting effects of historical trauma on family engagement. Gain practical strategies for creating culturally responsive leadership opportunities and amplifying the voices of parents from diverse backgrounds to drive meaningful change in early childhood policies and practices.
Domonique Brace, Parent Leader & Doula
Domonique is a mom who is passionate about birthwork. She is trained as a birth doula, postpartum doula, birth assistant, and a (LCE) lactation counselor & educator. She believes maternal health & well being are undervalued and she is passionate about assisting families create bonds and routines that will instill confidence. As a postpartum doula she provides support to parents as they welcome a new family member. Everyone who welcomes a baby into their life could use some extra support. Planning ahead for a postpartum doula can help smooth the transitions as you adjust to your new family dynamics and get settled. She would love to make this a reality for more families in Michigan especially foster, adoption + single and teen parents. Outside of birthwork, Domonique enjoys being outdoors, planning fun events & spending time with her 7-year-old and partner Alex.
Naomi Larkin, Parent Leader
Naomi is the mother of a son diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, conduct disorder and deep depression. She is an advocate for her son and has found activities in the community her son enjoys. Naomi has done a lot of administrative work for her son, finding providers, and applying for funding for programs and resources on his behalf. She is currently helping with grant work with ECCS-Early Childhood Comprehensive System. She also volunteers in her community in Southeastern Denver, Colorado.
Candace Waggoner, Parent Leader, Foster Parent, Court Appointed Special Advocate
Candace is wife and mother to four children ages 13, 5, 2, and 4-months. She works as the Director of Volunteer Programming at Voices for Children, Court Appointed Special Advocate Supervisor, and licensed foster and adoptive parent. Candace has spent over a decade serving youth who have experienced foster care as a mentor through ChildSafe Michigan in Oakland County, and an additional three years as a Big through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in Genesee County.
Every Family Counts: Inclusive Leadership for All Parent Voices
Discover strategies for engaging and empowering parent leaders from diverse family structures and backgrounds.
Celebrate the diverse tapestry of modern families and learn how to create truly inclusive parent leadership opportunities. This session will spotlight strategies for engaging and empowering a wide range of family structures, including single parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, LGBTQIA+ parents, and families from various cultural backgrounds. Gain insights on overcoming personal biases, bridging cultural gaps, and designing leadership programs that resonate with all types of families. Hear inspiring stories from non-traditional parent leaders who are making a significant impact in their communities.
Panelists:
Eric Donald
Eric Donald was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He received the B.A. degree in healthcare management from Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska, in 2010, and the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in human services and psychology from Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska, and Northcentral University, San Diego, California in 2014 and 2021, respectively. He also completed his Public Health Fellowship from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2023.He is a father of 4 and a grandfather of 3.
He has worked in Behavioral Health, Early Childhood Education, and Public Health in various capacities. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Fathers- Too LLC of Michigan and the President of Fathers 2 INC. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, drawing, and watching sports.
Eric is a member of Psi Chi (International Honor Society in Psychology), Delta Mu Delta Honor Society, and MI-AIMH (Metro Detroit Chapter).
Sadia Batool
Sadia Batool, born and raised in Dubai is a physician by qualification with a current focus on supporting families and professionals in Maternal and Early Childhood Systems. Her passion for systems change stems from her personal experience of receiving life-changing Early Intervention services for her daughter. She serves as a family and professional representative on a variety of local, state-wide, and national organizations serving families and children including serving as the Governor appointed parent Co-chair to the Pennsylvania State Interagency Coordinating council.
Sadia is committed to supporting families navigate the system of services and enhancing authentic family engagement and leadership policies, practices, and procedures across maternal and early childhood systems. In 2021, she joined the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning as the Early Childhood Family Lead for the ECCS Health Integration Prenatal-to-Age Three Project, a federal grant from HRSA aimed at cross-sector collaboration, health system transformation, policy innovation, family leadership, and advancing equity.
Wenxi Schwab
Wenxi Schwab is a first-generation immigrant to the United States, originally from China. A dedicated educator and mother of three, Wenxi’s experiences with home-visiting services and the family leadership training she received as a family advocate inspired her passion for family leadership and advocacy. She actively contributes to advisory committees at the national, state, and local levels, working toO improve education and services for children and families. In addition to her advocacy, Wenxi is an Adult Education Instructor and Professional Development Specialist, supporting educators across Pennsylvania through coaching and training. Beyond her professional roles, Wenxi prioritizes and values quality time with her family, enjoying outdoor adventures, field trips, and creating lasting memories with her children.
Real Voice, Real Impact: Moving Beyond Token Parent Involvement
Explore the critical difference between superficial parent engagement and authentic parent leadership. This session will challenge participants to move past "checking the box" of parent involvement and instead create meaningful opportunities for families to influence early childhood programs and policies. Learn from experienced parent leaders and organizations about overcoming common barriers, addressing power imbalances, and implementing practices that elevate parent voices to create lasting change. Discover practical tools for problem-solving and supporting parent leaders through challenging situations.
Register here: https://ecic4kids-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tJ5Mz153SUGyB5Bn4g9azw
Presenters:
Monica Gaines lives in Wayne County, MI with her son Nate. She began her journey into home visiting in 2013 when she joined the Healthy Families program in Wayne County. She became a parent leader in 2015 when she joined the advisory board and the Local Leadership Group. She also joined the State Local Leadership Parent Leader Team. Monica joined the Healthy Families Program in 2017 as the Senior Program Assistant. She was Parent Coordinator at the Early Childhood Investment Corporation from 2020- 2021. She currently serves as the Parent Leadership Faculty for the Health Equity COIIN. She is currently the Healthy Families America Wayne Program Supervisor. She champions parent leadership and health equity all areas of her work as her true passion.
Liis Lahti (he/him, they/them) grew up in central Michigan and now lives in Kalamazoo where they have been engaging in antiracism organizing with the local nonprofit, ERACCE (Eliminating Racism & Creating/Celebrating Equity) since 2009. He studied at Western Michigan University. Liis is a skilled facilitator and is committed to the long term work of racial and social justice. Collective decision making is a practice he engages in as often as possible. Liis became a parent in 2014 and has two elementary age children. He loves being outside with them and teaching and learning.
Roquesha O'Neal is a Parent Advocate for the National Parents Union, mother of three, a grandmother of four, and a dedicated, fearless advocate for education who is widely recognized in her community for her tireless efforts. Through her work with various parent and school-related organizations, she emphasizes the critical importance of parent involvement in schools and educational programs.
For years, O'neal has been known to be a local organizer on community issues, particularly those related to family needs in both child and elder care. As the president and founder of the community-centered initiative: Blocks of Connections, O’neal focused on connecting Detroit residents to literacy support and programming on the crucial role nutrition plays in educational outcomes. She is the co-founder of the Parent Education Alliance, an organization of parents offering peer support, awareness, and education to others. O’neal is also an outstanding member of the National Parent Union, taking a seat on the Leaders Council to uphold assessment and accountability in schools. Formerly, O’Neal served on the boards of both the Osborn Neighborhood Alliance and Excellent Schools Detroit.
O'neal has been recognized by PBS (February 2014) & Oprah Magazine (May 2015) for her ongoing community efforts surrounding parent engagement, education, and advocacy. In 2024, she continues to volunteer with numerous non-profits, using her network of influence to strengthen Detroit families - one by one. With over 20 years of experience advocating for families in the community and state, and 30 years of experience as a parent, Roquesha O’Neal is a powerful voice for positive change.
Parents as Partners: The Evolution of Family Leadership in Early Childhood
Trace the journey of parent leadership in early childhood education, from its grassroots beginnings to its current crucial role in shaping effective systems.
Dive into the rich history of parent engagement in early childhood education. This session will trace the journey of parent leadership from its grassroots beginnings to its current role as a crucial component of effective early childhood systems. Experts will discuss how parent involvement has evolved, particularly for historically marginalized communities, and offer insights on fostering genuine partnerships between families and early childhood professionals. Gain valuable strategies for empowering parents as true change agents in shaping the future of early childhood education.
Register Here: https://ecic4kids-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QzBkNSEQSAyUgZbACMlF8Q
Building Capacity: Success Stories to Embedding Family & Parent Leadership
What does it look like when family and parent leadership is embedded in your work? Join our latest webinar to hear more about their successes and learnings to help you advance your work in this space.
Restorative Practices: Building Trust When Harm Has Been Caused
How can system leaders partner with families and parents in a way that recognizes the historical and ongoing harm they’ve experienced? Join us for this roundtable discussion where you’ll learn specific practices for building trusting relationships with family and parent leaders at a time when confidence in institutions is in decline.
Recruiting & Engaging Fathers as Parent Leaders
Dads matter! Save the date for ECIC's National Center for Family & Parent Leadership webinar on January 18, 12-1 p.m. on Recruiting & Engaging Fathers as Parent Leaders. Join this webinar to learn about effective ways to recruit and engage fathers as you work to embed family and parent leadership.