By working together, early childhood development leaders and businesses can build thriving futures for all.
Center for Business Champions
By working together, early childhood development leaders and businesses can build thriving futures for all.
The Center for Business Champions at Childhood Education International provides training, tools, and strategic guidance to help early childhood development (ECD) and businesses build effective and lasting partnerships. We equip early childhood leaders with practical resources and support, because investing in young children strengthens communities, economies, and the future workforce.
A high-impact training designed to provide child development leaders with the tools to confidently engage businesses, advocate for investment in early childhood, and build sustainable partnerships. The program includes guidance, resources and templates for messaging, stakeholder outreach, business network launches and other tools that can help to position early childhood development as a smart business investment. Training sessions can be tailored to fit the specific circumstances of individual organizations, cities, countries, or regions.
One-on-one expert guidance for child development organizations to develop country-specific engagement plans, assess business readiness, and create a tailored roadmap for successful partnerships.
Designed for business leaders, our workshops and strategic advisory services provide a data-driven, compelling case for why investing in early childhood development (ECD) is a smart business decision. We help executives and employees understand how ECD directly connects to workforce productivity, talent development, economic growth, and brand reputation. We provide actionable insights on how companies can integrate ECD into their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability (ESG) strategies, ensuring investments drive both social impact and long-term business value.
Contact us to learn how we can support your work:
On April 8, 2025, we hosted the Global Forum on Investing in Early Childhood: Business Support for a Thriving Economy & Social Wellbeing. This daylong event convened early childhood experts, practitioners, civil society leaders, business innovators, and policymakers to explore the economic and social benefits of investing in young children—and the powerful role businesses can play in shaping a thriving future for all.
Diane Whitehead, President and CEO of Childhood International, has dedicated her career to issues that affect the lives of children and families. She specializes in global education, children’s education and learning, the human right to education, nonprofit leadership, management, strategic direction-setting, and program development.
Through her strategic guidance and management of this 130+year-old organization, Diane has expanded its global reach, built partnerships with education-focused organizations around the world, designed impactful programs, and participated in key international education forums and United Nations’ initiatives, a recognition of her commitment to transforming education. As Chief Executive Officer, she is dedicated to building CE International’s relevancy, reach, and impact.
Diane is the creator of Education Diplomacy and co-author of the Education Diplomacy Professional Standards. She also co-authored the International Principles of Practice for Educators to guide and inspire practitioners and to elevate the education profession by highlighting the incredible service that educators provide to both international and human development. Both Education Diplomacy and the International Principles of Practice are forging new pathways for the professional development of educators.
Diane is committed to the nonprofit sector and believes that civil society organizations are critical to delivering programming that supports access and quality in education and increases the resources dedicated to the education and care of children, particularly children facing extreme challenges such as war, conflict, migration, food and water insecurity, life threatening pollution, and climate change.
Diane has spent much of her career advocating for improved economic outcomes and social change that promotes equity and social justice, as she believes these are essential to creating change for children and a better world for all. Diane has said, “No one has the power keep people apart based on race, ethnicity, country of origin, religious beliefs, or gender. We must find a way to live together and help our world to seek peace and harmony.” She firmly believes that education is essential to providing individuals with more opportunities in life and creating a more stable and secure world.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world”- Mahatma Gandhi
Diane is available to speak on education topics, leadership, change management, and the future of humanity. If you would like to invite Diane for a speaker engagement at a conference or event, please contact Kacy Kostiuk, Director of Communications, at kkostiuk@ceinternational1892.org.
Dr. Sara Watson is Director of CE International’s Center for Business Champions. Sara founded and was the National and then Global Director of ReadyNation/ReadyNation International, designing, fundraising for, and leading the joint organization for 14 years. Her hands-on work included personally persuading more than a thousand executives to join campaigns for early childhood investments, and supporting them to take action. She worked with local partners in Brazil, Australia, Romania and Uganda to create their own networks of business champions for early childhood.
Sara has spoken at more than 15 international meetings of child development and business leaders on how to build partnerships between the sectors. She led the organization of more than a dozen national (U.S.) and two Global Business Summits on Early Childhood and the first European Business Forum on Early Childhood for audiences of business executives. Sara also co-chaired ECDAN’s Advocacy Task Force in 2016-2018. Before creating ReadyNation, she led The Pew Charitable Trusts’ national advocacy campaign for pre-K. Dr. Watson is now an independent consultant and the founder and principal of Watson Strategies, LLC. She serves in a consulting capacity with CE International. Sara holds Master of Public Policy and Ph.D. degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Yvette G. Murphy is a skilled global education professional who is values-centered and has over 15 years’ experience supporting the learning and growth of children and educators worldwide through classroom teaching, program development, professional learning, and global advocacy. She is passionate about ensuring equity, inclusion, and social justice for most impacted and historically under-resourced and disadvantaged children and communities.
Yvette’s dynamic work experience in the private sector and with non-profit organizations demonstrates strong systems-thinking skills, a passion for innovation, and an ability to build bridges. She has a master’s degree in international education with a focus on non-formal and alternative education from The George Washington University.
