Meet our Board of directors
Jennifer Deam– Board Chair—Baby Bear Hugs—Yuma County
Lea Ann Laybourn– Board Co-Chair—Washington County Commissioner—Washington County
Tammy Jackson– Treasurer— Liberty Preschool—Yuma County
Gisele Jefferson– Washington County Extension Office-Washington County
Barbara Rueb-Hi Plains Preschool-Kit Carson County
Vicki Folkerts—Eastern Colorado Services for Developmentally Disabled—
Yuma, Washington and Kit Carson Counties
Daniel Prentice— Bohall, Neubauer & Co—Yuma County
Whitnei Webber—Kit Carson County Health Department—Kit Carson County
Sara Walkinshaw—Arickaree School District—Washington County
Erin Pounds— Centennial Mental Health—Yuma and Washington County
Patricia Brewster-Willeke– Community Advocate-Washington County
Denise Cure—Kit Carson County Health Department—Kit Carson County
Margo Ebersole- Rural Communities Resource Center- Yuma and Washington Counties
Meet our Advisory Councils
Ana Arvizo- Little Indians Preschool
Kris Linman- Yuma County Head Start
Ashley Lynch- Yuma Public Library
Betsy Holman- DentaQuest
Erin Pounds- Centennial Mental Health
Jennifer Deam- Baby Bear Hugs
Kerri Horton- Y.U.M.A- Colorado Trust
Margo Ebersole- Rural Communities Resource Center
Rebecca Browning-Floyd- Colorado Preschool Program
Tammy Jackson- Liberty Preschool
Vicki Folkerts- Eastern Colorado Services for Developmentally Disabled
Abby Reed- Northeast Colorado Health Department
Annette Murphy-Shaw- Morgan Community College
Darlene Carpio-Senator Gardner’s Office
Dusty Johnson- Congressman Ken Buck’s Office
Jana Gallegos- Yuma County DHS- CCCAP
Dalene Rogers- Yuma County DHS-CCCAP
Janine Groves- Yuma County Workforce
Stevi Gray- S.A.R.A
Yolanda Morales-Leon- S.A.R.A
Sarah Peterson- Wray Chamber
Sammy Lee- West Yuma Chamber
Maria Foy – Northeast Colorado Health Department/Communities That Care
Annette Blake- Akron Preschool
Betsy Holman- DentaQuest
Brenda Chapin- Baby Bear Hugs
Erin Pounds- Centennial Mental Health
Jen Mehring- Akron Head Start
Linda Jerome- Woodlin Preschool
Lea Ann Laybourn- Washington County Commissioner
Patty Denbo- Akron Balanced Child Development Center
Pam Kage- Akron Head Start
Sara Walkinshaw- Arickaree School District
Rebecca Browning-Floyd- Colorado Preschool Program
Dusty Johnson- Congressman Ken Buck’s Office
Gisele Jefferson- Washington County Extension Office
Holli Ison- Otis Preschool
Stevi Gray– S.A.R.A
Yolanda Morales- Leon- S.A.R.A
Allyson Richardson- Arickaree School District
Barbara Rueb- Hi-Plains Preschool
Carrie Campbell- Arriba-Flagler Preschool
Dawn James- Kit Carson County Health Department
Cristy Hartman- Stratton Preschool
Irma Reents- Burlington Preschool
Kathy Lee- Prairie Family Center
Lori Landrum- Bethune School District
Michelle Pugsly- Colorado Preschool Program
Stacey Schillig- East Central BOCES
Tony Rodriguez- Kit Carson County Department of Human Services
Valerie Rhoads- Morgan Community College
Whitnei Webber- Kit Carson County Health Department
Jessica Schart- Kit Carson County Health Department
Lana Davis- Bethune School District
Sarony Young- DentaQuest
Abigail Castillo- Kit Carson County DHS- CCCAP
Kristi Janousek– Kit Carson County DHS- CCCAP
Meet our funders
Yuma County Department of Human Services, Washington County Department of Human Services and Kit Carson County Department of Human Services.
Meet our sTAFF
Claudia has been with the Early Childhood Council for Yuma, Washington and Kit Carson County since 2011. She has over 20 years of experience in early childhood. She has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood with an emphasis in Business. Claudia has a Level VI Early Childhood Credential, she is a credentialed coach, and Advanced Approved Trainer, and is an Expanding Quality for Infants and Toddlers (EQIT) trainer. When Claudia is not at work, she enjoys spending time with children and grandchildren.
Through the child care resource and referral system, I supported the early care and education community in Yuma, Washington, and Kit Carson Counties for 26 years. During this time I provided training and technical assistance to child care providers, both pre-licensing and continuing education. I am a certified Pyramid train the trainer and an EQIT trainer. I have obtained my trainer qualification through the PDIS system. I have been a teacher, substitute teacher, assistant director and director at large centers. I have my Associates Degree in General Studies from Morgan Community College and my Director’s Certificate from Northeastern Junior College. My husband and I live in Yuma and were blessed with four adult children and one who is elementary school. We are the grandparents of 5.
About Our Quality Improvement Specialist
Pam has worked in the early childhood field in Northeastern Colorado since 1996. She has experience in family homes, centers, preschool programs and Head Start. She has worked with programs across the region in coaching and facilitation for the past 15 years. She has a passion for supporting sustainable quality improvement which she does best through coaching. She is a skilled professional with solid experience supporting all levels of a program’s quality improvement/sustainment efforts. She is extremely results-oriented, driven by fidelity and understands how to support individual professionals and entire programs. She loves to spend her time with her adult children and granddaughter.