Virginia Head Start Association was proud to host a Region 3 Event with the National Center for Program Management and Fiscal Operations (NCPMFO) and National Center for Parent, Family and Community Engagement (NCPFCE). Attendees from VA, WV, PA, DE, MD, and Washington DC were engaged in innovative ERSEA practices to identify and select families in their communities that would benefit the most from Head Start and Early Head Start services.

Strategies included using real time data that supported strong planning; using their community assessment to make decisions; and developed marketing strategies that promote Head Start’s legacy as the premier early care and family support program in the community. Following the National Center presentations each day, the TTA Network hosted roundtable discussions to provide opportunities for discussion, peer networking and planning.

Tim Adams
Prior to joining PMFO, Tim Adams was a Senior Technical Assistance Specialist for the National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance. He was also a member of the OHS Integrated Service Team (IST), brokering professional development for the OHS Regional Offices on behalf of the National Centers. Prior to working with NCECQA, Mr. Adams was an Early Childhood Specialist for the Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Center. He has held a variety of other positions such as ECE teacher, curriculum specialist and director of multiple types of programs, including Head Start, Smart Start, faith-based, for profit and non-profit child care. Mr. Adams was also a Child Care Licensing Specialist with the Ohio

Department of Jobs and Family Services and has served as an adjunct instructor at a community college. Tim has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and has been working in the field of ECE since 1996. Mr. Adams scheduled to complete his Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership with specialization in Strategic Innovation and Change Management by September 2020.

Karen Surprenant
As a Head Start director for over 25 years, Karen has used her management skills to expand enrollment, acquire facilities, oversee multiple funding streams, and develop systems to monitor and enhance program services.

She has worked extensively with Boards and Policy Councils, providing the training and technical assistance needed for meaningful decision making. Karen has held leadership positions on state and regional boards and has developed partnerships at the local level to strengthen services for children and families.

Karen received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and psychology from UMass Dartmouth and a master’s in education from Bridgewater State University with a focus on educational leadership.

Natalie Williams
A Fiscal Specialist with the National Center on Program Management & Fiscal Operations (NCPMFO), Natalie’s key areas of strengths are fiscal operations and organizational management with the ability to monitor and interpret grant budget data and prepare financial projections within Head Start and Early Head Start. A leader in developing comprehensive management systems to support compliance under 45 CFR Part 75 including facilities, nonfederal share, and the Uniform Guidance 200 CFR. Before joining the team at NCPMFO, Natalie was Fiscal Lead for the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Region XII Training & Technical Assistance Network since 2018. Prior to 2018, Natalie was the Chief Financial Officer for Washington County Economic Opportunity Council, a Community Action Program that operates a Head Start and Early Head Start program in Region II. She has served on the Boards of multiple nonprofits for the last twenty years and is dedicated to a mission of helping people.

Anita Harvey-Dixon

Anita is the Assistant Director of Training and Technical Assistance for the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement. Formerly, she was the Director of Family Engagement for Start Early. Anita has worked for Start Early for approximately 20 years and has held several positions including Implementation Advisor for the Educare Learning Network and Site Administrator /Assistant Director for the Educare School (Chicago) Educare (Chicago) is a birth to five Early Head Start/Head Start program located on the south side of Chicago, IL.

Ms. Harvey-Dixon has over 27 years of experience in the field of education working with learners of different ages. Her experiences include being a classroom teacher in a Head Start program to working with adult learners. For several years, Anita worked for the public and non-profit arm of the television industry where she managed and produced educational and community-based projects and programs. Anita received her undergraduate degree from City College of the City University of New York (CCNY). She has two master’s degrees one from Yale University and the second from Erikson Institute in child development with a focus on administration and infants and toddlers.

Melanie Sadur

Melanie is a Training, Technical Assistance & Content Specialist for the National Center on Parent, Family & Community Engagement (NCPFCE), located within Start Early. She is also the Co-Chair of the Advancing Racial Equity Taskforce at Start Early, where she develops and implements diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. Prior to this role, she provided T&TA to programs across Illinois with a focus on family engagement, parent-child relationships, and parenting curriculum. She entered the early childhood field as a Family Support Specialist and a Family & Community Engagement Coordinator in a Head Start & Early Head Start program. Her background and training are in social work and public health, with a focus on maternal and child health. She lives in Chicago with her partner and dog, and is passionate about racial equity, social justice, supporting local community mutual aid efforts, and spending time outdoors.