Local leaders are at the forefront of the Early Learning Nation Collective (ELN Collective), guiding the national partners who work alongside them. Together, they listen to community needs and align ongoing efforts, helping to develop solutions tailored to benefit the children and families in each community. If you are using your time and resources to make life better for children and parents, you are a local leader.

National Organization Partners

Together with local leaders, these national partners work through the ELN Collective to help all young children get a great start in life.

Center for the Study of Social Policy Logo
Children’s Defense Fund logo
The Hunt Institute Logo
National League of Cities Logo
Save the Children Logo
startearly-logo-new-purple
UnidosUS Logo

Steering Committee

A 15-member Steering Committee leads the ELN Collective. Nearly half of its members are local leaders, including parents and caregivers. The remaining members are staff from the seven national organizations partnering on the ELN Collective and one funder representative. Together, the ELN Collective Steering Committee guides the work of these national partners to help local leaders build systems and services that support children from prenatal through age 8 and families in their communities.

Steering Committee Members

Sheri Brady

National Partner Representative:
Children’s Defense Fund (CDF)

Amalia Chamorro

Steering Committee Co-Chair &
National Partner Representative:
UnidosUS

Cameron Clark

Funder Representative:
Bezos Family Foundation

Kelly Eppley

National Partner Representative:
The Hunt Institute

Awet Eyasu

Local Leader

Angela Garcia

Steering Committee Co-Chair &
Local Leader

Amanda Guajardo

Local Leader

Lottie McDonald

Local Leader

Lisa Melara

Local Leader

Colleen Murphy

National Partner Representative:
Start Early

Cailin O’Connor

National Partner Representative:
Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP)

Anthony Queen

Local Leader

Kristi Richardson

Local Leader

Annalise Romoser

National Partner Representative:
Save the Children Action Network

Tonja Rucker

National Partner Representative:
National League of Cities (NLC)