Region 1-A
Cook County (City of Chicago)

Español

In partnership with Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC)

 

Region 1-A Reports

Early Childhood Regional Needs Assessment highlights data and stories from community members across the Region and includes strengths, family- and community-identified needs, and recommendations for how to make our local Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services more accessible and equitable. 

Addendum includes additional community feedback captured as our Regional Team and Action and Family Councils shared our initial report’s findings throughout the Region.  

Action Plan is a living community document that focuses on the top priorities from our Region’s initial ECEC needs assessment. Council members developed Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals for each recommendation and plans and timelines to fulfill them. 

Early Childhood Needs Assessment: Focus on Mental & Behavioral Health features stories from families and ECEC providers about the challenges and successes they have accessing Mental and Behavioral Health services.

Mental & Behavioral Health Addendum includes new information about the available Mental and Behavioral Health resources shared by caregivers, Early Childhood professionals, and community members after the release of our initial report.

Action Plan Progress features the Region’s top Early Childhood priorities and highlights their goal progress and how to get involved.

Read All Regional Reports

Subscribe to Newsletter
a map of Illinois with Region 1-A highlighted in blue
 

Action Council Members

  • Bridget Rundquist, Share Our Spare, Director of Strategic Partnerships

  • Candace Moore, City of Chicago Mayor's Office, Director of Early Learning

  • Debra Strickland, Team Work Englewood, Associate Director

  • Gregory Cox, Brightpoint, Fatherhood Coordinator

  • Katelyn Kanwischer, Lurie's Hospital, Director of Maternal & Child Health Initiatives

  • Kathy Stohr, J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, Program Officer

  • Kyrsten Emanuel, Start Early, Senior Policy Manager

  • Lariza Fenner-Lux, Erikson Institute, Developmental-Infant Mental Health Specialist

  • LaToya Purnell, Harold Washington College, Child Development Faculty Lecturer

  • Maia Connors, Early Childhood Research Alliance of Chicago (EC*REACH), Founder

  • Malaize Hall, Destined For Greater Girls, Founder & CEO

  • Malisha Webber, Purposeful Pathways Counseling and Wellness Services, Counselor

  • Maria Hassel, Family Focus, Regional Vice President of Centers, Southeast Region

  • Michelle Dinneen-White, Play Smart Literacy, Founder & Director

  • Natasha Croff, Chicago Public Schools, Parent Involvement Specialist

  • Noel Gonzalez, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

  • Pamela Castro, Onward House, Mentor Teacher

  • Patricia Tatum, Haymarket Center, Pediatric Nurse & Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

  • Salena Nelson, Grow + Learn Early Childhood, Owner

  • Saundra Inez Parker, YMCA Early Education & Care, Site Director

  • Stella Okere-Amadi, Community based, Case Manager

  • Takeyshia Watson, Metropolitan Family Services, Program Supervisor

  • Talibah Moore, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

  • Tasha Smith, Illinois Action for Children, Director of Referrals and Outreach

Family Council Members

  • Alejandra Montano, West Elsdon (Cook County)

  • Anthony Garcia, Brighton Park (Cook County)

  • Azalie Ruiz, Chicago Lawn (Cook County)

  • Bianca Thomas-Eduok, Austin (Cook County)

  • Erika Reffett, West Ridge (Cook County)

  • Gabriel Mendoza, Belmont-Cragin (Cook County)

  • Jamie Brewton, Washington Heights (Cook County)

  • Katy Donadio, Logan Square (Cook County)

  • Khristina Leshchinska, Clearing (Cook County)

  • Laura Macias, East Side (Cook County)

  • Liliana Romero, South Lawndale (Cook County)

  • Lizette Pedroza Guzmán, Brighton Park (Cook County)

  • Maria Dolores Gomez Lopez, Chicago Lawn (Cook County)

  • Maria Valladares, West Pullman (Cook County)

  • Nathalia Gomez Perez, New City (Cook County)

  • Valerie Marshall, Roseland (Cook County)

  • Wendy Ramirez, Lincoln Square (Cook County)

Meet Your Regional Team!

Picture of Edna Navarro Vidaurre, a light skinned person with short curly gray hair smiling with a closed mouth from the chest up. Edna is wearing a gray flower embroidered top with red dangle earrings.

Edna Navarro Vidaurre

Edna Navarro Vidaurre (she/her/ella) is the Regional Council Manager for the Region 1-A (City of Chicago). Edna has over 30 years in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care and has served in a variety of roles, including Family and Community Engagement Manager for the Office of Early Childhood Education at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Assistant Director of Community Systems Development at Illinois Action for Children, and Preschool Teacher in CPS and at a Community Early Learning Center. Edna is a proud alum of Erikson Institute’s Illinois Early Childhood Fellowship and a 2023 Chicago United for Equity (CUE) Fellow. She serves on the Collaboration on Child Homelessness Illinois (COCHI) Leadership Team, Chicago Children’s Community Council, and others.

Edna believes that communities that engage residents in building a place they want to live is imperative to the well-being of children and their families. She is an activist in her Portage Park neighborhood, where she founded a local park advisory council and was instrumental in the allocation of $1.3 million dollars in capital improvements to her local Chicago Park District. Edna is married, has four children, and two dogs named Luna and Coco.

 
Photo of Jacquelyn Ledezma, a light skinned person with long black hair smiling with a closed mouth from the chest up. Ledezma is wearing a black top with black eyeglasses and colorful earrings.

Jacquelyn (Jacquy) Ledezma

Jacquelyn (Jacquy) Ledezma (she/her/ella) is the Family & Community Engagement Specialist for Region 1-A (City of Chicago). Jacquy holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an Infant Toddler Specialist certificate from Erikson Institute. She was raised in Little Village and is the first college graduate in her family. Jacquy has 15 years of experience working in the Early Childhood field. Her experience ranges from providing direct services to families as a home visitor to most recently overseeing an education program as Education Manager. Jacquy is trained in a myriad of parenting curricula and has presented at Early Childhood conferences within the State and nationally. She now resides in Archer Heights and loves to travel with her husband, son, and twin daughters.

 
A headshot of Melissa Wilson. Melissa has shoulder length brown hair and is wearing a brown sweater with tan and brown speckled glasses.

Melissa Wilson

Melissa Wilson (she/her) is the Region 1-A (City of Chicago) Administrative Support. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and earned an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. Melissa has worked with local communities and regional organizations focused on youth and families for over ten years. Her previous roles have included customer service, data collection and analysis, marketing, and most recently, office operations and human resources.

Passionate about connecting people, Melissa enjoys bringing together individuals who share her dedication to education and equity. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband and their three children. When she is not working, she can be found cheering on her kids at sporting events, traveling, and making memories with friends and family.

Contact Us

 

Región 1-A
Condado de Cook (Ciudad de Chicago)

En alianza con Every Child Ready Chicago

 

Informes de la Región 1-A

Evaluación de Necesidades Regionales de la Primera Infancia destaca datos e historias de miembros de la comunidad en toda la región e incluye fortalezas, necesidades identificadas por la familia y la comunidad, y recomendaciones sobre cómo hacer que nuestros servicios locales de educación y atención de la primera infancia (ECEC) sean más accesibles y equitativos. 

Adenda de Necesidades incluyen comentarios adicionales de la comunidad capturados cuando nuestro Equipo Regional y los Comités de Acción y Familiar compartieron las conclusiones de nuestro informe inicial en toda la región.  

Plan de Acción es un documento comunitario vivo que se centra en las principales prioridades de la evaluación inicial de necesidades de ECEC de nuestra región. Los miembros del consejo desarrollaron metas específicas, mensurables, alcanzables, relevantes y con plazos determinados (SMART) para cada recomendación y planes y cronogramas para cumplirlas. 

Evaluación de Necesidades de la Primera Infancia: Enfoque en la Salud Mental y Conductual presenta historias de familias y proveedores de ECEC sobre los desafíos y éxitos que tienen al acceder a los servicios de salud mental y conductual.

Adenda de Salud Mental y Conductual incluye nueva información sobre los recursos disponibles de Salud Mental y Conductual compartidos por cuidadores, profesionales de la Primera Infancia y miembros de la comunidad tras la publicación de nuestro informe inicial.

Progreso del Plan de Acción presenta las principales prioridades de la Región en materia de primera infancia y destaca el progreso de sus objetivos y cómo participar.

Leer todos los informes regionales

Suscribirse al boletín
 

Miembros del Comité de Acción

  • Bridget Rundquist, Share Our Spare, Director of Strategic Partnerships

  • Candace Moore, City of Chicago Mayor's Office, Director of Early Learning

  • Debra Strickland, Team Work Englewood, Associate Director

  • Gregory Cox, Brightpoint, Fatherhood Coordinator

  • Katelyn Kanwischer, Lurie's Hospital, Director of Maternal & Child Health Initiatives

  • Kathy Stohr, J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, Program Officer

  • Kyrsten Emanuel, Start Early, Senior Policy Manager

  • Lariza Fenner-Lux, Erikson Institute, Developmental-Infant Mental Health Specialist

  • LaToya Purnell, Harold Washington College, Child Development Faculty Lecturer

  • Maia Connors, Early Childhood Research Alliance of Chicago (EC*REACH), Founder

  • Malaize Hall, Destined For Greater Girls, Founder & CEO

  • Malisha Webber, Purposeful Pathways Counseling and Wellness Services, Counselor

  • Maria Hassel, Family Focus, Regional Vice President of Centers, Southeast Region

  • Michelle Dinneen-White, Play Smart Literacy, Founder & Director

  • Natasha Croff, Chicago Public Schools, Parent Involvement Specialist

  • Noel Gonzalez, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

  • Pamela Castro, Onward House, Mentor Teacher

  • Patricia Tatum, Haymarket Center, Pediatric Nurse & Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

  • Salena Nelson, Grow + Learn Early Childhood, Owner

  • Saundra Inez Parker, YMCA Early Education & Care, Site Director

  • Stella Okere-Amadi, Community based, Case Manager

  • Takeyshia Watson, Metropolitan Family Services, Program Supervisor

  • Talibah Moore, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

  • Tasha Smith, Illinois Action for Children, Director of Referrals and Outreach

Miembros del Comité Familiar

  • Alejandra Montano, West Elsdon (Cook County)

  • Anthony Garcia, Brighton Park (Cook County)

  • Azalie Ruiz, Chicago Lawn (Cook County)

  • Bianca Thomas-Eduok, Austin (Cook County)

  • Erika Reffett, West Ridge (Cook County)

  • Gabriel Mendoza, Belmont-Cragin (Cook County)

  • Jamie Brewton, Washington Heights (Cook County)

  • Katy Donadio, Logan Square (Cook County)

  • Khristina Leshchinska, Clearing (Cook County)

  • Laura Macias, East Side (Cook County)

  • Liliana Romero, South Lawndale (Cook County)

  • Lizette Pedroza Guzmán, Brighton Park (Cook County)

  • Maria Dolores Gomez Lopez, Chicago Lawn (Cook County)

  • Maria Valladares, West Pullman (Cook County)

  • Nathalia Gomez Perez, New City (Cook County)

  • Valerie Marshall, Roseland (Cook County)

  • Wendy Ramirez, Lincoln Square (Cook County)

¡Conozca a tu equipo regional!

Foto de Edna Navarro Vidaurre, una persona de piel clara con cabello corto y rizado gris sonriendo con la boca cerrada desde el pecho hacia arriba. Edna lleva un top bordado de flores grises con aretes colgantes rojos.

Edna Navarro Vidaurre

Edna Navarro Vidaurre (ella/la) es la Gerente del Comité Regional para la Región 1-A (Ciudad de Chicago). Edna tiene más de 30 años en el ámbito de la educación y el cuidado de la primera infancia y se ha desempeñado en una variedad de roles, incluido el de Gerente de Participación Familiar y Comunitaria para la Oficina de Educación de la Primera Infancia en las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago (CPS, por sus siglas en inglés), Subdirectora de Desarrollo de Sistemas Comunitarios en Illinois Action for Children, y Maestra de Educación Temprana en las Escuelas Publicas de Chicago y en Centros Comunitarios. Edna es una orgullosa alumna de la beca de infancia temprana de Illinois del Instituto Erikson y becaria de Chicago United for Equity (CUE) en 2023. Forma parte del equipo de liderazgo de la Colaboración para los niños sin hogar de Illinois (COCHI), el Consejo Comunitario de Niños de Chicago y otros.

Edna cree que las comunidades que involucran a cada residente en la construcción de un lugar en el que quieren vivir son imprescindibles para el bienestar de las familias y sus menores. Es activista en el vecindario de Portage Park, donde fundó un consejo asesor de parques local y jugó un papel decisivo en la asignación de $1.3 millones de dólares para su Chicago Park District local. Edna está casada, tiene cuatro hijos y dos perros llamados Luna y Coco.

 
Foto de Jacquelyn Ledezma, una persona de piel clara con cabello largo y negro sonriendo con la boca cerrada desde el pecho hacia arriba. Ledezma lleva una blusa negra con anteojos negros y aretes de colores.

Jacquelyn (Jacquy) Ledezma

Jacquelyn (Jacquy) Ledezma (ella/la) es la Especialista en Participación Familiar y Comunitaria de la Región 1-A (Ciudad de Chicago). Jacquy tiene una licenciatura en Psicología de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago y un certificado de Especialista en bebés y niños pequeños del Instituto Erikson. Se crió en Little Village y es la primera graduada universitaria de su familia. Jacquy tiene 15 años de experiencia trabajando en el campo de la primera infancia. Su experiencia abarca desde la prestación de servicios directos a las familias como visitante domiciliaria hasta la supervisión más reciente de un programa educativo como Gerente de Educación. Jacquy está capacitada en una infinidad de planes de estudios para padres y se ha presentado en conferencias sobre la primera infancia dentro del estado y a nivel nacional. Ahora vive en Archer Heights y le encanta viajar con su esposo, su hijo y sus hijas gemelas.

 
Retrato de Melissa Wilson. Melissa tiene el pelo castaño hasta los hombros y lleva un suéter marrón con gafas de sol color canela y marrón moteado.

Melissa Wilson

Melissa Wilson (ella/la) es el Asistente Administrativo de la Región 1-A (Ciudad de Chicago). Nació y creció en Cincinnati, Ohio, y obtuvo un título de grado asociado en Educación Infantil y una licenciatura en Administración de Empresas en la Universidad de Cincinnati. Melissa ha trabajado con comunidades locales y organizaciones regionales centradas en la juventud y las familias durante más de diez años. Sus funciones anteriores han incluido atención al cliente, recopilación y análisis de datos, marketing y, más recientemente, operaciones de oficina y recursos humanos.

Apasionada por conectar a las personas, Melissa disfruta reuniendo a individuos que comparten su dedicación a la educación y la equidad. Actualmente reside en Chicago con su marido y sus tres hijos. Cuando no está trabajando, le gusta animar a sus hijos en eventos deportivos, viajando y creando recuerdos con amigos y familiares.

Contacta con nosotros