Christina N. Taylor, MPH – Chief Executive Officer
Christina has the primary responsibility for leadership of the ECCLC. Her responsibilities include strategic planning, staff development and supervision, resource development and grant writing, budget preparation and financial management, advocacy, program development. Christina is also highly engaged with both community and state organizations, including facilitation of community initiatives and workgroups.
Lauren Powers – Operations and Finance Director
Lauren is responsible for managing all funding streams related to Council work, including grant reporting and spend down, and grant compliance. Lauren is also responsible for coordinating and overseeing office and staff operations, including bookkeeping and financial management, information technology, staff onboarding, payroll, and general facilities management.
Heather Blanco, MA – Early Care & Education Director
Heather manages all quality initiatives work as well as supervising our Early Childhood Coaches and Child Care Support Specialist. Heather oversees our quality initiatives work related to Colorado Shines, as well as Child Care Resource & Referral efforts. Heather is also responsible for coordinating and organizing workforce recruitment and professional development projects, which includes conducting outreach, career support, provider recruitment, management of scholarship program, and coordination of ECE trainings.
Liz Means, MNM – Early Childhood Mental Health Director
Liz is responsible for managing the Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Program. Formerly known as the Leap Coalition, the ECMH program works to enhance and expand early childhood mental health services in Larimer County. The ECMH program focuses on workforce development, outreach and advocacy, and systems integration. Liz’s responsibilities include grant writing and reporting, coordination of workforce development projects, convening ECMH stakeholders, and advocating for early childhood at community events.
Danielle Hastings – Communications and Development Director
Danielle is responsible for ECCLC’s communications strategy and digital marketing, including managing and maintaining our organization’s website, e-newsletter, and social media accounts and serving as a liaison to related public engagement work in the community.
Heather Soderberg, IMH-E – Early Childhood Coach
Heather provides formal and informal assessments for programs focused around the Colorado Shines Rating and the Professional Development Information System (PDIS). Heather provides coaching support to early care and education programs using coaching skills in order to improve quality services for children using research based tools such as Environment Rating Scales, and serves as the team lead for our Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care (EQIT) initiative. She is an IMH-E® Infant Family Associate, a certified Early Childhood Coach, a Certified Reflective Supervisor/Consultant, an Infant and Toddler Specialist, and an Approved Trainer through the Colorado Department of Education.
Logan Mansanarez, MPH – Early Childhood Coach
Logan provides formal and informal assessments for programs focused around the Colorado Shines Rating and the Professional Development Information System (PDIS). Logan also provides coaching support to early care and education programs using coaching skills in order to improve quality services for children using research based tools such as Environment Rating Scales. Logan serves on various community and state level task forces, ensuring strong community stakeholder engagement for our agency. Logan is a Certified Early Childhood Coach and our Family Child Care Home Specialist.
Taylor Ashby – Early Childhood Coach
Taylor provides formal and informal assessments for programs focused around the Colorado Shines Rating and the Professional Development Information System (PDIS). Taylor also provides coaching support to early care and education programs using coaching skills in order to improve quality services for children using research based tools such as Environment Rating Scales. Taylor supports our workforce efforts, and serves as a Career Navigation Specialist for current or potential early childhood educators. Taylor is a Certified Early Childhood Coach, supports our workforce efforts, and serves as a Career Navigation Specialist for current or potential early childhood educators.
Erin Amidon – Early Childhood Coach
Erin is a Certified Early Childhood Coach and provides formal and informal assessments for programs focused around the Colorado Shines Rating and the Professional Development Information System (PDIS). She also provides coaching support to early care and education programs using coaching skills in order to improve quality services for children using research based tools such as Environment Rating Scales.
Karly Kampe – Early Care & Education Program Associate
Karly joined ECCLC in June 2021 as our Administrative Assistant and was promoted to Early Care & Education Program Associate in January 2022. Karly provides support to the Early Care & Education Director and coaching team. She coordinates the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Karly is also responsible for maintaining an up-to-date database of Larimer providers, and assists with data tracking and reporting. Karly also completes outreach and provides support to Level 1 child care programs to move up in the Colorado Shines Quality Improvement Rating System.
Chelsea Denny – Early Care & Education Workforce Coordinator
Chelsea Denny joined our Early Care & Education team in January of 2022, serving as our ECE Workforce Coordinator who is specifically onboard to support FCCH providers. Chelsea just received her B.A. in Education and Human Development from CU Denver in December 2021, and holds an Associate’s Degree in ECE. In her new role, Chelsea is responsible for FCCH outreach & recruitment, as well as navigation of grants, supports and services for ECE professionals.
Corinna Crandall, LMFT, IMH-E – Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
As an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (ECMHC), Corinna is responsible for creating nurturing environments that advance social-emotional and behavioral health outcomes among children, families, and early childhood professionals. She works across a broad range of early care and education (ECE) settings to promote wellness in young children by increasing the capacity of adult caregivers to support children’s developmental needs.
Letha Gillisse, MA – Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Letha joined the Council in September 2021 as an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (ECMH). She’s excited to contribute with the Council and our partners, as it brings together her passion, experience of working as a teacher, and integration of experiences as a mental health therapist. She works across a broad range of early care and education (ECE) settings to promote wellness in young children by increasing the capacity of adult caregivers to support children’s developmental needs.
Christina Gomez. LMFT, IMH-E – Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Christina creates nurturing environments that advance social-emotional and behavioral health outcomes among children, families, and early childhood professionals in her role as an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (ECMHC). She works across a broad range of early care and education (ECE) settings to promote wellness in young children by increasing the capacity of adult caregivers to support children’s developmental needs.
Stacy Hart, MA, LPC, IMH-E – Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Stacy joined the Council in September 2021 after working as an early childhood mental health consultant (ECMHC) for the Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS) Family Resource Center. She continues as ECMHC lead for Estes Valley, under the leadership of the Council. She is passionate about early childhood experiences and relationships as foundational to all other aspects of a child’s development and learning.
Emma Stark, MSW- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Emma joined our team in April 2022. Emma has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and a Masters in Social Work. Her background is with children and teens in a variety of settings including early childhood education, non-profit organizations, counseling, and healthcare.
Most recently, She was a co-lead teacher in an infant classroom. Her passion throughout her academic years was supporting children facing life-limiting illnesses and their families. Over the years, She has grown in her passion for working with children and empowering them to lean into their innate strengths and values as the capable, independent, and resilient individuals they are.
Maya Turn – Early Childhood Mental Health Program Associate
As the Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Program Associate, Maya helps coordinate the ECMH Program. The ECMH program focuses on three main goals related to enhancing infant and early childhood mental health services in Larimer County: workforce development; public awareness and advocacy; and systems integration.
Tessa Currie, MPH – Communications and Development Program Associate
Tessa Currie joined our team in January of 2022 as our part-time Communications & Development Program Associate. In her role, she focuses heavily on communications to ECE providers about legislation, Larimer Child Care Connect, and ongoing updates that impact their operations.
Shannon Silvas- Administrative Assistant
Shannon joined the team in May of 2022. Shannon serves as our Administrative Assistant for the organization. In her critical role, she is responsible for keeping ECCLC running smoothly. Shannon provides general office support, as well as clerical and administrative support to program and executive staff, Advisory Council and our Board of Directors.
