PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Karen L. List, Ph.D.

Dr. List has been an advocate for early childhood education for many years. Under her leadership as superintendent of the West Hartford Schools, the district opened preschools in magnet schools in neighborhoods with high poverty rates and the community’s lowest percentage of children participating in early education. The West Hartford program has grown to 4 public, neighborhood school-based, full-day preschools. In 2016, a new West Hartford magnet school building opened with 5 preschool classes for 3- and 4-year-olds. Dr. List retired as West Hartford School Superintendent in 2014.

EXPERT ADVISORY PANEL

Elizabeth Aschenbrenner
Project Coordinator, Executive Function and Purposeful Play, P-Grade 3 Leadership Team, Connecticut

Claire E. Cameron, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Learning & Instruction, University at Buffalo, State University of New York

Craig A. Cooke, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools, Madison, Connecticut

Kristie Kauerz, Ed.D.
Director of the National P-3 Center, Associate Clinical Professor at University of Colorado – Denver, and Affiliate Professor at University of Washington’s College of Education

Sharon Ritchie, Ed. D.
Senior Scientist and Principal investigator First School initiative, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Lisa Roy, Ed.D.
Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Wendy Simmons, Ph.D.
State Services Liaison with the Build Initiative

Shauna Tominey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Practice & Parenting Education Specialist, Oregon State University

Steve Tozer, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Illinois - Chicago

Joseph F. Yukish, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor, College of Education, Clemson University, South Carolina; Early Literacy Consultant specializing in K-2 reading