Breakout Session 1: 8:30 – 9:30 AM
“Leveraging Community Assets to Lead Early Child Care Change”
During this session, attendees will explore individual and community assets that can be leveraged to support child care change in their community.
“Exploring The Power of Play: How our Interactions During Play can Promote Children’s Thinking”
In this session, participants will explore the stages and types of play, examine the roles of child-guided and adult-guided learning, and learn how to use open-ended questions to encourage deeper thinking.
“The Power of Positive Language: Fostering Social Emotional Wellness in Early Childhood”
This session explores how positive language supports young children’s social-emotional development and offers practical ways to use it more intentionally in the classroom.
“Supporting Children with Autism in the Early Childhood Classroom”
Join us for this training session on supporting children with autism. Participants will learn strategies for supporting children with autism, including relationship building, use of visual supports, co-regulation, and collaboration with families.
Breakout Session 2: 9:45 – 10:45 AM
“Looking Out for Children is Our Business”
In this session, participants will learn about the leading causes of injuries in young children. Additionally, they will learn about community resources and programs to reduce pediatric injuries.
“Embracing Risky Play”
Participants will learn to distinguish between risky play that promotes children’s development and hazardous or “unsafe” behaviors. They will come away with tools to discuss risky play with families and coworkers.
“Celebrating Every Child: Neurodiversity in a Child Care Setting”
This session introduces neurodiversity, helps participants recognize different ways children think and learn, and shares strategies for creating inclusive, welcoming learning environments.
“Kindness Counts: Teaching Children Prosocial Skills that Stick”
In this conference session, participants will learn about the importance of social-emotional learning. They will also learn about and practice effective, developmentally appropriate strategies for teaching prosocial behaviors.
“Pediatric Asthma: Why the Environment Matters for Learning and Daily Life”
In this training, participants will learn about common asthma triggers in homes and early learning settings and identify three ways to make their classrooms and environments more asthma-friendly for children.
Lunch and Learn Session 1 or Breakout Session 3
Lunch and Learn: “Bringing DAP to Life in the Classroom”
Grab your lunch and come to a 1-hour training while you eat. During this dynamic session, attendees will learn what DAP is and how to put it into practice in their classroom. Participants will have lots of opportunities for small group discussion and collaboration.
“No Longer Welcome”
Young children are expelled from early childhood education programs at an alarming rate. Our current system leaves families who have children with challenging behaviors without many options. For over 15 years, researchers have described a crisis in our nation’s early learning classrooms. This session will review the research presented by author Katherine Zinsser in her 2022 book “No Longer Welcome: The Epidemic of Expulsion from Early Childhood Education“. In this session, participants will receive an overview of the reasons leading to children’s expulsion as well as the promising practices to address the issue.
“Mind Builders: Everyday Moments that Shape the Brain”
Did you know you’re a brain architect? Join us to discover how your daily interactions literally shape the brains of the children in your care. You’ll walk away with practical tools to boost language development, strengthen emotional bonds, and use movement to spark neural connections.
Lunch and Learn Session 2 or Breakout Session 4
Lunch and Learn: “Bringing DAP to Life in the Classroom”
Grab your lunch and come to a 1-hour training while you eat. During this dynamic session, attendees will learn what DAP is and how to put it into practice in their classroom. Participants will have lots of opportunities for small group discussion and collaboration.
“No Longer Welcome”
Young children are expelled from early childhood education programs at an alarming rate. Our current system leaves families who have children with challenging behaviors without many options. For over 15 years, researchers have described a crisis in our nation’s early learning classrooms. This session will review the research presented by author Katherine Zinsser in her 2022 book “No Longer Welcome: The Epidemic of Expulsion from Early Childhood Education“. In this session, participants will receive an overview of the reasons leading to children’s expulsion as well as the promising practices to address the issue.
“Mind Builders: Everyday Moments that Shape the Brain”
Did you know you’re a brain architect? Join us to discover how your daily interactions literally shape the brains of the children in your care. You’ll walk away with practical tools to boost language development, strengthen emotional bonds, and use movement to spark neural connections.
Breakout Session 5: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
“An Educator’s Guide to Recognizing & Preventing Childhood Sexual Abuse”
Produced in partnership with the Children’s Trust Fund “Something We Agree On” campaign, in this training, educators will learn about and discuss strategies for recognizing and preventing child sexual abuse (CSA) in a child care setting and the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on children’s development.
“Looking Out for Children is Our Business”
In this session, participants will learn about the leading causes of injuries in young children. Additionally, they will learn about community resources and programs to reduce pediatric injuries.
“Helping Children Thrive: Early Supports, Family Engagements, and School Readiness”
In this informative session participants will learn about early childhood support programs (Nurses for Newborns, First STEPS, and Parents as Teachers) and understand how to access these services to support preschool-aged children and their families. Additionally, attendees will learn about the transition process to elementary school, including the IEP process.
“From Stress to Stability: Adult SEL and Professional Wellbeing”
As educators, our well-being shapes the climate of our classrooms and the experiences of the children we support. When adults are able to regulate their own emotions, they model healthy coping skills and are more present and responsive to children’s needs. Participants will explore key adult SEL skills, practice trauma-informed and culturally responsive strategies for managing stress, and learn simple ways to embed adult SEL into everyday routines.
“Thinking Outside the Page”
Bring stories to life! In this interactive session, attendees will learn how to transform books into dynamic movement, yoga, and theater adventures. We’ll explore self-calming mindfulness techniques and practice perspective-shifting within classic fairy tales to promote social awareness and empathy in every student.
Presenter Bios
Aileen Garcia
Assistant Professor and Extension State Specialist
Dr. Aileen Garcia is an Assistant Professor and Extension State Specialist for Early Childhood Education, Development, and Care at the University of Missouri. She obtained her Ph.D. in Child, Youth and Family Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018.
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Her research interests include examining the well-being of parents and child care providers, as well as exploring ways to support the early childhood workforce.
Becky Strickfaden
Child Care Inclusion Manager
Becky has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri- Columbia. She has spent over 25 years in the early childhood field and has always focused on the social-emotional development of children and ensuring that we are preparing children for life, not just kindergarten.
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As an Inclusion Specialist at United 4 Children, she has focused on training, coaching, and supporting educators, caregivers, and families who, in turn, support the children. Seeing a child go from struggling in a classroom setting to having the support to be successful is what drives her practice.
Bonnie Spencer
Regional Coordinator
Bonnie Spencer is a proud advocate and consultant in Early Childhood Education with over 20 years of experience in infant and toddler development, trauma-informed care, brain development, and social-emotional learning.
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She owns EIC Training in Queens, NY, where she designs research-based programs for educators. As a Regional Coordinator for the New York State Pyramid Model team, she advances best practices through training, coaching, and technical assistance. Passionate about professional development, Bonnie collaborates nationally on various projects to enhance early education. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the city with her dog, Snarf.
Cheryl Lane
Education Coach
Cheryl Lane has over a decade of experience in early childhood education and presents on trauma-informed practices, ACEs, and mental health. As an education coach and counseling intern, she offers both practical and clinical insight to support educators working with children and families affected by trauma.
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She is a recent graduate from Webster University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
Ericka Cables
Assistant Professor
Dr. Ericka Cables has been a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri since 2017 and a Missouri-approved clinical supervisor since 2019. She is a founder of a private mental health practice, The Institute of Cultural Wellness, LLC, and is employed as an Assistant Professor at Webster University.
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Dr. Cables has conducted research and provided training focused on resilience, mental well-being, and professional identity development.
Gary Lowder
Marketing Manager
Gary grew up working in a child care setting, grounding his career in a firsthand understanding of early education and family needs. He holds a degree in professional writing and is a nonprofit communications expert who has produced strategic, mission-driven content for many organizations,
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including United 4 Children, the Humane Society of Missouri, St. Louis’s Regional Arts Commission, Missouri Childhood Community Leaders, and BluePrint4. His work bridges early childhood systems, community engagement, and effective storytelling to advance education, prevention, and child well-being initiatives.
LaReecia Carter
Director of Comprehensive Systems Navigation
LaReecia Carter is a Credentialed Community Health Worker (CHW-C) with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a minor in psychology, and a trauma certificate from the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
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Since joining the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition September 2025, she has served as the Director of Comprehensive Systems Navigation, leading a program that provides intensive care coordination and systems navigation for youth and families involved in child welfare, mental health, education, developmental disability, and medical systems. The program focuses on helping families overcome barriers, secure critical services, and build long-term stability through collaborative, trauma-informed support.
She currently serves as Treasurer of the St. Louis Community Health Worker Coalition and remains active within statewide and national CHW organizations. In 2021, she was recognized by her peers as Missouri’s Community Health Worker of the Year.
Lindsay Spell
Occupational Therapist
Dr. Lindsay Spell is an occupational therapist and postdoctoral research associate in the Health Equity, Opportunity, and Education (HOPE) Research Lab at WashU Medicine, where she earned her Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
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Originally from central Arkansas, Dr. Spell completed her undergraduate studies at Arkansas State University, graduating with dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and World Languages (Spanish).
Dr. Spell’s research uses community-engaged research methods and implementation science to examine how environmental context and chronic disease shape academic, health, and social outcomes for youth. Her research interests include investigating the occupational impact of chronic disease in pediatric populations, examining the role of occupational therapy in community practice, and identifying and remediating environmental factors that negatively impact participation for youth with asthma.
Lori Winkler
Supervisor of the Outreach Team
Lori Winkler, MSN, RN, TNS, CPEN, is a nationally recognized pediatric injury prevention expert with more than 40 years of experience as a paramedic and emergency department nurse.
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After retiring as the Safe Kids St. Louis Coalition Coordinator, Lori quickly returned to service as Supervisor of the Outreach Team for Washington University’s Institute of Public Health’s Life Outside of Violence (LOV) program, supporting individuals and families affected by community violence.
She serves on multiple child fatality review panels and regional injury prevention initiatives dedicated to reducing preventable infant and child deaths. A national speaker and educator, Lori has presented on pediatric injury prevention, training more than 2,000 First Responders, Healthcare Professionals, Community Partners as infant safe sleep champions. She has received recognition for her pediatric injury prevention work.
Nicci Rexroat
President of Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children
Nicci Rexroat brings 19 years of experience in early childhood education, including 11 years as a multi-site child care business owner.
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She currently serves as President of Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children and works as an ECE business coach with Missouri Women’s Business Center, supporting child care entrepreneurs across Missouri. Nicci is also a Provider Fellow with Kids Win Missouri, where she advocates for policies and systems that strengthen the early childhood workforce and improve outcomes for children and families.
Nicole Kristoff
Regional Coordinator
Nicole Kristoff has been a passionate and dedicated early childhood educator for over seventeen years. In that time, she held positions as a lead preschool teacher, lead pre-kindergarten teacher, an assistant director, a director, and childcare center owner.
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Nicole spent three years teaching preschool students in Taiwan and aided in the developing a curriculum for English learning students by incorporating movement, math, science, art, and music into their daily lessons. She has built two profitable childcare centers and is the current owner of a preschool program in Connecticut. She has earned her bachelor’s degree and holds a head teacher certification along with her director’s credentials. She has led multiple workshops for educators and has traveled around the state teaching children’s yoga, dance, theater, fitness, and enrichment classes. She has presented at several different conferences including the NAEYC annual conference. She hosts her own original podcast called “Once Upon a Story” that is a movement-based, storytelling podcast for kids. It includes interactive stories for teachers to use as a resource in the classroom.
Sarah Grissom
Education Specialist
Sarah Grissom has dedicated the past 25 years to championing the well-being of children and families through her roles as a classroom teacher, program administrator, policymaker, and community advocate.
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She currently serves as an Education Specialist at United 4 Children, where she supports early childhood educators through professional development and training. Sarah holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Maryland and lives with her family in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sarah Kennedy
Community Development Field Specialist
Sarah Kennedy is a public health professional and a systems change agent who specializes in epidemiology, data and evaluation. She enjoys using data to engage individuals in conversations about health inequities and disparities.
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Her experience has been in various coalition settings engaging multi sector stakeholders to align their goals. This includes building bridges between community members and organizations. Sarah is a Community Development Field Specialist focused on Early Childhood Impact. She connects the University’s resources, services and programs related to early child care to the communities that need them. Sarah’s work also focuses on improving the early child care landscape in Missouri by bringing together the business community with the child care community to have thoughtful conversations about how to make improvements in their communities.
Serenity Okuda
Disability Specialist
Serenity Okuda holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Missouri.
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She spent five years working in early childhood classrooms at UNLV, where she developed a strong foundation in supporting young learners during their most critical developmental years. Serenity later served as a Disability Specialist with YWCA Head Start, where she partnered with educators and families to support inclusive practices and ensure children of all abilities receive high-quality care and education. She is also a proud mother of two young boys, whose growth and curiosity continue to inspire her work in early childhood education.
Shanika McGee
Community Navigator
Shanika McGee is an Early Childhood professional with over 20 years of experience shaping the lives of children, families, and educators. Throughout her career, she has served as a classroom teacher, home-based visitor, coaching specialist, and education specialist.
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Shanika currently serves as the School and Community Navigator at United 4 Children. In this role, she ensures families in the St. Louis region receive the critical information and support needed to find the best-fit educational environments for their children.
Tara DaVore
Education Coach
Tara DeVore, M.Ed., is a Training Specialist at the University of Missouri Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, where she partners with educators across Missouri to support autistic learners in inclusive classroom settings.
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She brings over a decade of experience in public schools, having served as an elementary teacher, learning specialist, and special education administrator.
Tara is passionate about bridging research and practice, equipping teachers with practical strategies that make a meaningful difference for students. In addition to her work with educators, she supports caregivers following a child’s autism diagnosis, helping families better understand and advocate for their child’s needs.
She lives in Columbia, Missouri, with her husband and two children, where she stays closely connected to schools and families in her community.
Teresa Lewis
Author, Educator, and Advocate
Teresa Lewis is a passionate author, educator, and advocate dedicated to empowering individuals to recognize and develop their unique abilities.
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She is best known for her groundbreaking book, *Hidden Gift Book: Introduction to Able*, which has inspired countless readers to discover neurodivergent children’s inner strengths and unlock their full potential.
With over 20 years of experience in early childhood education and professional development, Teresa has worked extensively with diverse communities, helping people overcome barriers and embrace their hidden talents. Her approach blends evidence-based strategies with heartfelt storytelling, making her sessions both practical and deeply motivating.
Teresa’s expertise extends beyond writing; she is a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for her engaging workshops that foster self-awareness, resilience, and growth. Through her work, Teresa continues to champion the belief that everyone possesses a hidden gift, waiting to be uncovered and shared with the world.
Today, Teresa joins us to share insights from her book and guide us through the transformative journey of discovering what makes each of us truly “able.”
Teresa Lewis BS. ECE., ITL-IV, PDS
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