REPLAY
CHILDCARE, WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT?
VIRTUAL IMPACT COLLABORATIVE
This event took place on July 1st, 2021.
There was a child care crisis in the United States even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the last year, with many childcare businesses closing down or unable to fully staff, it has only worsened. Recent reports about women in the workplace estimate that one in four women are considering “downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce.” If that is the case in the corporate world, how are mothers in other industries like health care and service coping with the crisis?
The Center for American Progress warns that the United States could be facing a child care shortage so severe that many parents may not be able to rejoin the workforce, hindering an economic recovery.”
Our expert panel discusses issues and potential solutions related to the child care crisis, from the perspective of employees, child care business owners, policy and the private sector’s role in finding solutions.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Michele Watson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Children’s Council. In this role, Michele provides leadership for the businesses, organizations, agencies and other key stakeholders involved with the Council. Michele has been involved with the work of the Council for many years, utilizing her expertise in data analysis and system development in the areas of education, policy and finance. Her efforts have helped make business cases for the need for increased investments and policy changes in education. Having received a degree in early childhood education from Florida State University, Michele began her career as an educator for the Polk County School Board for eight years. Upon moving to Tallahassee, she became the Policy Chief for Florida’s Office of Early Learning where she was responsible for coordinating early learning policy with the Florida Legislature as well as 31 local early learning coalitions. In 2012, Michele founded Watson Policy Solutions to focus on helping organizations identify systemic issues, develop new processes, and create system improvements to ensure maximum efficiency that allows entities to focus more on mission activities and services.
SPEAKERS
Rachel Spector joined The Children’s Trust in November 2007. Ms. Spector brings over 25 years’ experience in the field of early care and education, having worked for both public and private organizations. Ms. Spector serves as an Associate Director of Programs overseeing Early Childhood and the Thrive by 5 Early Learning Quality Improvement System, K-5 Afterschool and Summer programming, and their Innovation Fund. Prior to joining The Trust, Ms. Spector worked as a therapist in a teen parent program and coordinated an infant mental health program for early learning educators and young children.
Ms. Spector earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a Master’s degree in social work from Columbia University in New York. Her graduate studies focused on clinical services for children and families.
Ms. Spector has served as an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College where she taught in the department of early childhood education. She is a member of many state-wide and local committees and advisory boards that focus on early learning issues. She most recently led the innovative work in Miami-Dade County to redesign the Trust’s investments in early learning programs to improve program quality for Miami’s most vulnerable children.
Robyn Fern Perlman specializes in business development strategies and change management, orchestrating the “people” side of change. She is President of The Business & Leadership Institute for Early Learning Inc.
Previously, Robyn served as Vice-Chair and Treasurer of the Early Learning Coalition of Broward County (BLI). Through her involvement with that organization she recognized the challenges faced by early learning education small business owners and operators. Working with US Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Robyn founded The Business & Leadership Institute for Early Learning (BLI) in 2013. This is a professional workshop series or “CEO School” that is dedicated solely to the business of early childcare. BLI now operates programs in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange and Duval Counties.
In 2014 Robyn accompanied Wasserman-Schultz to the White House Summit for Working Families where they presented the project. In 2018 The BLI Institute received the Childcare Prosperity Award from Florida Family Home Based Childcare Association for its role in helping family childcare businesses prosper.
Committed to education, Robyn has spent years as a mentor to young women in high school through Women of Tomorrow (WOT) and was recognized as that organization’s Mentor of the Year in 2009. She chairs WOT’s scholarship committee, which has awarded more than $6 million in scholarships to the high school girls who are part of this mentoring program in South Florida. In 2018 she was again honored by the organization for her role in developing the scholarship program and her leadership as Chair.
In 2011, she was named South Florida Business Leader and, in 2012, Robyn was recognized by the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women for her extensive work on women’s issues. In 2013, she was also the recipient of the Florida Power and Light Champion Award for her work in the Early Childcare Industry. Most recently she was recognized in the Florida Family Child Care Home Association 2020 Advocate Hall of Fame.
Evelio C. Torres has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties since 2007. In the 14 years Mr. Torres has been at the helm of the organization he has expanded its reach, programs and budget through strategic partnerships at the local, state and federal levels. This includes a $50 million-dollar, 5-year Early Head Start grant to serve children 0 – 3 from low-income families. Mr. Torres established an Equity Institute that engages the community in difficult, but meaningful conversations to help ensure every child has an equal opportunity to succeed. Mr. Torres oversees a budget totaling $265 million annually and programs serving 45,000 children. Early education community-based services are delivered by a dedicated team, in partnership with over 1,400 contracted early care and education programs and other community partners from both the public and private sectors.
Mr. Torres is passionate about public service and building healthy communities. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Florida International University where he served as an adjunct instructor of Public Administration for 13 years.
I am currently the Owner/CEO of Sheyes of Miami Learning Centers, I have three locations and one elementary school. My Company Sheyes of Miami has been on a mission to provide quality child care to some of the most economically disadvantaged communities in Miami-Dade County. We have successfully operated business for over 28 years, and all centers have been fully accredited and star rated by some of the most stringent agencies in the state. (APPLE Accredited) Through the preschools and private elementary school, Sheyes has been able to reach the community at a grassroots level: By subsidizing many student’s activities and trips around the state, Sheyes have witnessed positive changes in their educational goals. In addition, Sheyes sponsored family trips to Orlando and Atlanta, subsequently bringing children and parents closer together.
I serve on the board with the Cat Walk Pros a modeling agency, which focuses on the development of our youth. We have sponsored many fashion shows, boot camps, as well as Mommy and Me Tea Parties. All programs emphasized the importance of good behavior and proper etiquette.
In 1974 I joined the City of Miami Police Department as a Public Service Aide, then advancing to a Miami Police Officer. My deepest passion has always been to help and serve the community in which I have worked for the last 30 years. Through my hard work and sincere dedication to my community I rose through the ranks of the Department, and achieving the goal of a Miami Police Major which is my retiring position.
One of my many programs that changed the lives of countless young women was “Girls of Today Are Women of Tomorrow.” The program was designed to focus on young ladies, by helping them to become outstanding citizens, while exposing them to many activities, such as, etiquette, dressing for success, how to interview for a job, good character, modeling, the importance of exercise and good eating habits. The program was strongly supported and praised, by then, State Attorney, Janet Reno and Community Activist, the late, Georgia Ayers.
My hard work and dedication to youth in the community, earned her the Administration of Excellence Award from the police department, as well as the Unit Citation Award for Outstanding Performance.
In 2003, is when I was promoted to Major, Community Relations Section where I commanded a unit of 60 employees, overseeing the development of various programs in the community, to help prevent crime and maintain a great relationship with the Police Department and the Community.
Although, I retired in 2007, as Major of the Community Relations section at the City of Miami Police Department, I am still an Active Police Reserve Officer where I was responsible for representing the chief, attending meetings and other assignments, as given. I also currently serve on the board of directors of the “Do the Right Thing” program and was also appointed to the City of Miami Gardens council of Senior citizen’s board.
In addition to being a single mother of three I became a foster parent to a young college student from FAMU that had no home to go back to after his first semester. After completing his education, he would continue to live with me and my three children, who were also in college at that time. My home remained his for the next several years. He’s now working for the State of Florida, as a social worker.
In the past I have received numerous honors and awards from the City of Miami Police Department, Gamma Alpha Chapter Iota Phi Lambdi. I received both the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award and the top 25 Businesswomen of 2014 Award in Legacy Magazine. I was also recognized in 2019 by Legacy Magazine as one of the 50 top Business Women of the Year.
I have worked as actively in this community for the last 35 years and is proud to be a supporter of the Over Town’s Green House Grille Restaurant, with Oprah’s 2020 WW Vision Tour.
Her 2018 awards include, but not limited to:
Quiet Storm Award – presented by the Women’s Power Caucus
Sister I’ve Got Your Back Award – presented by Ty Live Entertainment
MORE SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED
