Celina Cereceres is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner. She is Audit Partner at Whitley Penn, where she oversees the public sector practice for the firm in performing audits and other attestation engagements for school districts, universities and colleges, other large governments, and non-profit organizations. Since 2001, she has provided services to school districts, large local governmental entities receiving large amounts of federal and state assistance, as well as to non-profit entities. She strives to help entities reach their greatest potential.

Dr. Jesus Amezcua, Assistant Superintendent for Business in the Harris County Department of Education (Houston, Texas) oversees the financial operations of the Business Services Division while also providing finance consulting services to independent school districts and charter schools. He possesses over 31 years of leadership experience in accounting, highlighted by roles in mentoring and teaching about financial best practices, professional development standards, and ethics.

Dr. Amezcua’s unparalleled professionalism is underscored by the careful stewardship of multiple financial portfolios of over $200 million USD and pristine financial reporting that received accolades from accrediting institutions. Along with rigorous attention to detail, Dr. Amezcua career has long been connected to school systems that expand access to vulnerable populations. This unique blend of passion and skill makes Dr. Amezcua vital to the evolution of Childhood Education International as it seeks to expand workforce development of innovative education leaders worldwide.

Dr. Mary Otieno’s specialization is in educational planning, economics of education, and policy studies, with a focus on mainstreaming and strengthening education systems with respect to quality assurance and standards. She is a seasoned educator with teaching experience at all levels, and she has a particular interest in basic education, higher education, and girls’ education, as well as teacher education and education systems strengthening. Her research focus is on gender, ESD, and technology in both basic and higher education.

Mary is a Senior Lecturer of Educational Planning and Policy Studies Research at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, and previously served as a coordinator of the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Greater Nairobi, including membership in various committees – curriculum review, research, and product development – and serving as a mentor at the Chandaria Business Centre of Innovation and Incubation. She is the founder of the Siprosa Anyango Foundation, an NGO focusing on quality education and poverty, and she runs a lower cost ECD Center in Kenya. She works closely with the Ministry of Education, representing Kenya at the UNESCO meetings on education for sustainable development, and at the UNESCO meeting of its global network of international teacher education institutions.

Dr. Brandi N. King, Deputy Chief of Practice at Child Care Aware of America, has over 15 years’ experience as an educator, strategic thinker, and thought partner as an early childhood professional. She works as a champion for children and families promoting high quality childcare practices and strengthening professional development initiatives for those who work with families and children from birth to age eight.

Dr. King’s diverse experience guides Childhood Education International in areas of training and technical assistance (T/TA), workforce development, research, social emotional development, and capacity building that inform early childhood policy on professional growth opportunities for early care professionals. She is deeply committed to practice and policy that impacts systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. Dr. King graduated from Howard University with a doctoral degree in Psychology and completed a highly competitive Neuroscience postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Andre Eaton coordinates program expansion, program support, staff development, and additional training for all New York ParentChild+ sites. He assists program partner sites in coordinating with New York State and City Departments to ensure that all Program children and families are connected with the appropriate next educational steps and services. Andre works on developing new public and private funding streams, fostering relationships with new local partner agencies and state and local policy makers, and enhancing partnerships with business and other literacy and early childhood programs. Andre was selected in 2017 to be a member of the NYS Family Engagement Coalition Steering Committee, serving on the Support/Best Practices subcommittee. He is also a member of the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, where he serves as co-chair of the race equity committee, and is a board member of the NY State Association of Infant Mental Health.

Before coming to ParentChild+, he was the Southeastern Regional Director for Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. and previously was the Executive Director of Covenant House Georgia. Andre has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/African & African America Studies from Brandeis University, a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University. He is a New York State Licensed Social Worker and holds a Student Supervisor Certificate from Fordham University.

Dr. Christine Chen is a leading pioneer in early childhood education in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. She is the President of the Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore) [AECES], established in 1999, and previously founded the Association for Child Care Educators (1990-1999). With more than four decades of experience as an educator, leader, and consultant, Dr. Chen has been instrumental in shaping professional standards, curriculum development, and teacher education both locally and internationally.

She holds a Doctor of Education in Human Resource Development from George Washington University and has worked extensively as a teacher educator. She has led teacher training, consultancy, and capacity-building projects across China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond. Dr. Chen has also served on numerous Boards and Advisory Committees, including the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC), the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI), the Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA), and the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC), as well as being on the World Health Organisation’s Guideline Development Group on early childhood health.

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 Michelle Allen at mallen@ceinternational1892.org

Faye Snodgress is Chief Executive Officer of the Global Educational Community, an organization that works with schools to develop students who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive and fully participate locally and globally.  Through her roles at Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, academic organizations, and UNESCO, she gained knowledge of sustainable education, global citizenship, social justice, authentic learner-centered learning, and social-emotional learning. During her tenure at Butler University, Faye was involved in policy efforts to provide quality early childhood education for all and establish in early childhood centers using the Reggio Emilia approach.

Her experience working in diverse business and education positions in multiple countries played a significant role in developing Faye appreciation for our deeply interconnected world and the critical importance of ensuring that all learners receive a quality education in achieving a sustainable society.  She is serving as an Altrusa International NGO representative to the Global NGO Executive Committee with the Department of Global Communications.

Jonathan Apikian currently serves as the VP of Strategy and Impact at USA for UNHCR, the national partner of the UN agency for refugees. In this role, Jonathan oversees overall strategy delivery, tracking progress of the organization’s strategic goals and priorities, and advancing thought leadership in support of refugees forced to flee. He has extensive project management and strategic planning experience around programs that address the needs of the most vulnerable worldwide. His passion for working with local communities to develop sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most intractable issues keeps him inspired by the human spirit for change and resilience.

One of Jonathan favorite hobbies is exploring different cultures through their food and cuisine—every dish has a story to tell about the people.

In her retirement years, Rizalina, known as “Sally,” has redefined what it means to rest—choosing instead to rise. As Vice President for Teaching and Research at AFTA INC NY and PCI, she continues to lead with purpose, coordinating the transformative Balikturo projects focused on professional development for teachers across the Philippines.

Her advocacy centers on spreading the good news of the *Science of Reading,* a research-based approach she champions as a powerful solution to the country’s literacy poverty. Through workshops, toolkits, and strategic partnerships, Sally equips educators with the knowledge and tools to teach reading effectively, especially in underserved and crisis-affected communities.

A passionate believer in lifelong learning, Sally also dedicates her time to preparing early childhood educators to nurture children’s cognitive and emotional foundations. Her work ensures that every child—regardless of background—has access to healing-centered, inclusive education that sets them up for success.

Whether she’s scripting training modules, mentoring young leaders, or mobilizing LGUs and DepEd for literacy events, Sally’s retirement is anything but quiet. It’s a vibrant continuation of her life’s mission: to empower teachers, protect children, and build a nation where every learner thrives.

Dr. Joanie Cohen has over 30 years’ experience working in the global education sector. She has focused her work in the areas of basic education, foundational literacy and numeracy, adult literacy, non formal education, and early childhood education throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and in the US. Over her career, Joanie has served in leadership roles for a variety of program implementers, foundations and US government institutions leading literacy and reading programs. Additionally, Dr. Cohen has taught courses at higher education institutions in Massachusetts and Vermont. Until recently, Joanie was a Division Lead at the Center for Education at USAID (United States Agency for International Development) directing and supporting education efforts on behalf of the US government in preprimary, foundational skills, youth workforce development, and higher education.

Currently Joanie is teaching first grade in Greenbelt, Maryland, supporting a diverse group of English language learners. Joanie holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Vermont and an M.Ed. in International Education and an Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Research and Administration from the Center for International Education at University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Dr. Asmaa Al Fadala, an Assistant Professor at the College of Public Policy at HBKU, holds a distinguished 28-year career encompassing K-12 education, higher education, and policy development. Her diverse journey includes roles as a governmental policy writer, professor, author of leadership reform publications, and board member of educational organizations. Dr. Al Fadala’s research expertise covers leadership for learning, education transformation, entrepreneurship education, teacher professional development, educational reform, innovation in education, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

An esteemed academic, she holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil from the University of Cambridge in Educational Leadership and Policy. In addition to her scholarly achievements, Dr. Al Fadala advises global entities like Greater Share and the Hughes Hall Development Strategy Group, Qatar Academy Sidra, and a board at the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, highlighting her commitment to advancing educational discourse globally.

Dr. Jordan Naidoo is currently a visiting Lecturer and Technical expert at the Teacher Education Center at Shanghai Normal University. He is a former UNESCO International Institute for Education Planning Acting Director, and Director of the Kabul Office and UNESCO Country Representative to Afghanistan. From 2015 to 2019, he was the Director of the Division of Education 2030 Support and Coordination (based in Paris, HQ), leading UNESCO’s global coordination of the SDG4-Education 2030 Agenda. Prior to this, he was a Senior Education Advisor at UNICEF in New York, responsible for strategy and research on equity and innovation in education. He was also the Director for Basic Education for Save the Children USA from 2004 to 2009.

His early career included being a teacher and researcher in South Africa and a School Reform Design Associate in the US at the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston. Having worked directly on programs in Indonesia, Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, and Haití, South Africa, and the US, among others. He has extensive experience and expertise in policy analysis, evaluation and monitoring, teaching and learning, decentralization, governance and democratization in education, peacebuilding, and education in fragile contexts and education reform.

Dr. Naidoo received his M.Ed. from the University of Natal, South Africa, and Doctor of Education (D. Ed.) from Harvard University. Among other publications, he was the editor of the Springer publication, Community Schools in Africa – Reaching the Unreached.

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 Michelle Allen at mallen@ceinternational1892.org

Sakil Malik is Chief Growth and Strategy Advisor for CE International. A veteran of work in international development, Sakil is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center for Innovation and Learning. He has served as Vice President of Global Development at World Learning Inc., and Director for the Reading within Reach (REACH) Project and Global Reading Network (GRN). He has more than 20 years of experience in international project management, focused on literacy, social and human development, and human rights.

Sakil has successfully won and administered funding from government and corporate funders, including USAID, UNESCO, Pearson Foundation, and Nokia Corporation. He has a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Maryland, USA, a Master’s Degree in Economics from Aligarh University in India, and a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Dhaka University in Bangladesh.

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.

Michelle Allen, Director of Operations, works to implement and manage smooth and efficient operations and systems to support CE International programs. With over 20 years of nonprofit organization experience, including extensive work in technology systems, accounting and budgeting, and office operations, Michelle is essential in maintaining the workflow at CE International.

Michelle enjoys riding her motorcycle and spending time with her grandchildren.

Anne Watson Bauer, Director of Publications and Webmaster brings 30+ years of education publishing experience and guarantees timely production of CE International’s unique publications: Childhood Education Innovations, the Journal of Research in Childhood Education, and the online publication Childhood Explorer.

Anne enjoys walking through the woods and along the coastlines of Maine with her husband and German shepherd, taking thousands of photos.

Rachel Brown, Business Development Director, possesses unique multisector expertise that primarily focuses on global health activities in sub-Saharan Africa, along with extensive experience in the education, democracy and governance, and economic development sectors. Her remarkable profile includes the successful execution of the USAID-funded Mali Education Emergency Support Activity, a program designed to increase equitable access to basic education for children in the conflict-affected regions of Mali. Rachel’s experience and passion prove essential in identifying and engaging in mutually beneficial business opportunities for CE International and a wide array of international peers.

The most beautiful sunset Rachel has ever seen was hiking Huayna Potosi in Bolivia, where she was at about the same elevation as the Mount Everest base camp.

Meg Riley is a native of Minnesota and longtime resident of Arizona, where she lives with her husband and dog and her two daughters (during college breaks). After graduating from the University of Vermont with a political science degree, she returned to Minnesota to work on her master’s in teaching and start her teaching career. She has worked in a variety of education spaces, including eight years teaching middle school social studies and nine years teaching high school ESL. After leaving the classroom, she transitioned into managing federal AmeriCorps grants at Prescott College. These education grants were focused on implementing a community schools strategy in under-resourced public schools to reduce chronic absenteeism and increase graduation rates and postsecondary access to college and career. She later served as program director overseeing a large education grant and an economic opportunity grant utilizing AmeriCorps members working with preschool age to high school students and developing job readiness skills for opportunity youth. Meg continued working in federal grants at a large public school district writing grants and coordinating implementation of the funds, services, and monitoring for schools identified for federal improvement. In addition, she facilitated the Arizona cohort of the pilot Refugee Educator Academy and has assisted in the revitalization of the course.

Katherine Tek is an education professional with over 15 years of teaching and training experience and work on psychosocial support and social-emotional learning concepts for schools and international non-profit organizations. With a master’s in French language and literature, she has taught and worked on education projects in the U.S., Haiti, and Senegal. After completing a master’s in international education, she worked within mainly the U.S. emergencies space and focused on PSS/SEL programs. She is passionate about education quality and how we can all support children’s and teacher’s well-being and resilience building.  One of her favorite lines to stand by is from The Little Prince by Antoine de St. Exupéry: « On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. »  In English: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, as what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

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.

Dr. Banhi Bhattacharya, Ph.D., PMP, is an accomplished education specialist and consultant with more than two decades of experience in teacher education, professional development, project management, higher education accreditation, and curriculum design and research in second language learning. She brings deep expertise in strengthening educator preparation systems, building institutional capacity, and advancing lifelong learning strategies across diverse global contexts.

Banhi began her career as an educator in India and continued with her advocacy for education in the United States as a teacher, researcher, and policy and compliance facilitator in the field of education. She is the Founder and Principal of motivEd, LLC, a consulting agency dedicated to empowering education professionals and institutions through strategic planning, accreditation advising, and credentialing guidance. She has been involved in designing professional learning frameworks, conducting standards-based training, and building partnerships to support educator growth. She advises educator preparation providers in the United States and in the Middle East to align local teacher education practices with rigorous accreditation standards. Her work has also focused on supporting immigrants and refugees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, providing instruction that is contextualized for real-world needs such as navigating job applications, accessing healthcare, and engaging with local services. In parallel, she advises internationally trained professionals—particularly refugees from conflict-affected countries such as Ukraine and Afghanistan—on strategies to re-enter the workforce in the United States.

Banhi’s research focuses on the impact of quality professional development on educators’ preparedness to serve in linguistic and culturally diverse classrooms. She currently directs the professional development program operations at the Project Management Institute, Washington D.C. Chapter.

Dr. Carol DeShano da Silva has expertise in the design, development, and monitoring and evaluation of global education programs. She is a technical expert in foundational learning in low- and middle-income countries and was an original co-author of Save the Children’s foundational learning program, Literacy Boost, which has been implemented in over 30 countries.

Carol has consulted on education projects for The Gates Foundation, USAID, The World Bank, Plan International, and FHI 360, among other international organizations. She has taught courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, The College of the Holy Cross, and American University, where she helped develop a new master’s degree program in Bilingual Education. Dr. da Silva has provided technical assistance or conducted research in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, the Philippines, and Uganda. She speaks Portuguese and Spanish and holds an Ed.M. and Ed.D. from Harvard University.

Stephanie Olmore is the Director of Early Learning and Global Partner Engagement at the National P-3 Center in the School of Education and Human Development at CU Denver. She brings over 25 years of experience in early childhood development, with a specialized focus on monitoring and quality assurance in early learning systems both in the U.S. and internationally.

Stephanie has led numerous initiatives aimed at strengthening the quality and accountability of early childhood programs for children ages 0–5. She previously served as the Senior Director of Global Engagement at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), where she collaborated with international governments and large-scale systems to develop and implement quality assurance guidelines and professional standards for early childhood educators. Earlier in her career, Stephanie was the Manager of the Quality Early Education Initiative at the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), where she directed quality improvement and monitoring efforts across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder, a master’s in early childhood education from CU Denver, and an EdD in executive leadership from CU Denver.

Elisabeth Shuman serves on the advisory board of the NGO Committee on UNICEF, which works to uphold the rights of children everywhere, making her a key representative of CE International. Elisabeth has extensive experience working in several committees in the UN, organizing various conferences and outreach efforts, including communicating with CSO organizations in the Global South, allowing her to extend CE Internationals connections around the globe.

An insatiable learner, Elisabeth is trying to master the art of bicycle repair and learning Japanese with, in her own words, limited success.

Justine Heckmann, who has served as a UN Representative in Geneva for CE International since August 2016, has dedicated her professional career to human rights and international cooperation. She specializes in child rights working with the NGO Terre des Hommes Suisse, managing projects with a focus on children’s education, protection and participation. Justine’s frequent presence at Human Rights Council sessions and meetings organized by the Child Rights Connect network ensures CE International has place in the critical conversations surrounding child rights.

Specializing in South American projects, she lived in Bolivia working in an orphanage helping the children in their education process.