Region 51
Menard, Sangamon

Region 51 Reports

Using a Collective Impact Model, between September 2022 and June 2023, we led our Action and Family Councils through data discussions to identify gaps and barriers for children and families. We coordinated focus groups, interviews, and surveys to gather input from community members across the Region. We are eager to share with you our key findings, regional strengths, family- and community-identified needs, and recommendations for how to make our Region’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs more accessible and equitable to children, families, and ECEC providers.

Recognizing we could not talk with every community member in the Region prior to completing our report, this summer and fall our Team worked with our Action and Family Councils to share the report’s findings throughout the Region, keeping with our mission to capture as much input as possible. Additional community feedback has been captured in the Addendum file below, released in November 2023.

a map of Illinois with Region 51 highlighted in blue
 

Action Council Members

  • Ashley Reynolds, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative 

  • LeAnn Bell, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative 

  • Kayla Miller, Community Child Care Connection CCR&R, Quality Service Manager 

  • Christine Craddock, Regional Office of Education #51, IESE Region Specialist/ROE 51 Staff Development/HUB 3 SEL Coach

  • Connie Shugart, STARNET Regions 1 & III, Project Director 

  • Debbie Tisckos, Sangamon County Department of Public Health, Director of Maternal and Child Health Services 

  • Elizabeth Lerch, Camelot Care Center, Regional Director 

  • Harold Pursey, Springfield Urban League, Inc., Head Start/Early Head Start Director   

  • Jamar Scott, Springfield Public Schools #186, Chief Equity & School Improvement Officer  

  • Jaylashawn Dildy, The Baby Fold, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant 

  • Katie Estes, Tri-City School District, Preschool for All Teacher and Parent Educator  

  • Kendra Day, Memorial Behavioral Health, Community Engagement 

  • Lajewell White, CATER Learning Experience, Owner 

  • Lakeisha Purchase, City of Springfield & LKP Consulting LLC, Ward 5 Alderwoman  

  • Laura Pickrell, Riverton School District Birth to Three, Program Director  

  • Laurie Rhodes, Lincoln Land Child Development Center & Preschool for All Expansion, Director 

  • Lindsay Sleade, Family Partnership with SIU School of Medicine, Nurse/Program Coordinator

  • Megan Reynolds, United Way of Central Illinois & Rotary Club, Director of Donor Engagement &  President-Elect 

  • Mitch Baker, Illinois Assistive Technology Program, ICC Coordinator

  • Savannah Wilken, State Police, Office Associate 

  • Shelly Roat, University of Illinois Chicago's Division of Specialized Care for Children, Assistant Director of Operations Core & Connect Care Programs 

  • Tiffani Saunders, Illinois Department of Public Health & Chatham School District, Minority Health Division Chief & School Board President

  • Tracie Sampson, New Salem Children's Center II, Inc. & Lincoln Land Community College, Director & Owner & Professor of Early Childhood Education 

Family Council Members

  • Amethyst Hamm, Springfield (Sangamon County) 

  • Antoinette Bidlingmaier, Petersburg (Menard County) 

  • Apryl Edwards, Petersburg (Menard County) 

  • Bushra Ali, Chatham (Sangamon County) 

  • Elizabeth Haynes, Springfield (Sangamon County) 

  • Gail Waddell, Athens (Menard County)

  • Hillary Kelly, Petersburg (Menard County) 

  • Kesha Harris, New Berlin (Sangamon County) 

  • Lissett Felix, Springfield (Sangamon County) 

  • Megan Loberg-Simmering, Petersburg (Menard County) 

  • Michelle McAnarney, Springfield (Sangamon County) 

  • Mindy Parks, Riverton (Sangamon County) 

  • Monique Nally, Riverton (Sangamon County) 

  • Sara Trine, Springfield (Sangamon County) 

  • Tanika Jones, Springfield (Sangamon County) 

Meet Your Regional Team!

Picture of Ashley Earles, a light skinned person with dark brown short hair smiling from the torso up. Ashley is wearing a black and white top with a black sweater on top with a black necklace, bracelet, and earrings.

Ashley Earles

Ashley Earles (she/her) is the Regional Council Manger for Region 51. She comes with more than 14 years of experience developing relationships and sharing stories to promote and assist nonprofit organizations. Ashley spent over 10 years in the early childhood field teaching in the classroom and providing professional development training to other early childhood professionals. One of her proudest moments was receiving the UIC Specialized Care for Children 2017 Champion for Children and Illinois AEYC 2017 Children’s Champion awards. Ashley volunteers for Safe Families as a Family Friend, Leadership Council Member, and Church Engagement Speaker, serves as the President of the Tri-City Youth Sports League, and coaches her daughter's 8U softball team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Ashley was born in Naples, Italy, and grew up in Rushville, Illinois; she moved to the Springfield area in 2007. She has been married to her husband, Drew, for almost 10 years and has two daughters, Ena (8) and Emmie (2). They live on a family farm raising cows, goats, and chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and cooking with her daughters, while also enjoying Christmas music and movies all year long.

 
Photo of Amanda DeFord, a light skinned person with medium brown curly hair smiling from the chest up. Amanda is wearing a black top with a white pearl necklace and purple eyeglasses.

Amanda DeFord

Amanda DeFord (she/her) is the Family & Community Engagement Specialist for Region 51. She has worked in the early childhood field for 10+ years. Her professional journey has allowed her to work directly with children, parents and caregivers, and organizations that support and advocate for early childhood programs and services, as well as for children and families with special needs. Amanda has played an active role on the Capitol Area Chapter of the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children (ILAEYC) and also on the Autism Support of Central Illinois Board of Directors. 

Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a master’s degree in Education, and is a Registered Behavior Technician and a Certified Nutrition Coach. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, Adam; three children, Casey, Colin, and Ireland; and two fur babies. Amanda enjoys a great cup of coffee, live music and theatre, trying new recipes, 90’s music, and going on Jeep adventures with her family. 

 

Amber Walters

Amber Walters (she/her) is the Region 51 Administrative Support. She has 20 years of experience in an education setting, 12 years of which were in an Early Childhood Education program; she also served for several years as a Kindergarten Readiness Coordinator/home visitor in the Sangamon County area.  

Amber has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Illinois State University and a Master’s degree in Elementary Reading from NOVA Southeastern University. She currently resides in Springfield with her husband, Adam, and daughter, Addaley. She enjoys time boating and spending time with family and friends.

Contact Ashley Earles

Please fill out the form below to contact Ashley. Your message will go directly to her inbox. You may also reach her at (309) 393-2545.