Early Care & Learning Council

Contact: Jessica Klos Shapiro

Public Policy and Communications Coordinator

518-690-4217 ext 32

jklos@earlycareandlearning.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

8/14/13

Early Care & Learning Council Welcomes New Executive Director

Since his arrival on the job in June, David Voegele has traveled much of New York State, met with many key stakeholders and begun to form relationships that will advance the vision and goals of the Early Care & Learning Council to flourish for many years to come.

The Early Care & Learning Council has been working to make quality, affordable child care available to New York’s families since 1975. Rooted in a statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies, the support of the Early Care & Learning Council includes wide representation from child care providers, parents, businesses, community organizations, and other individuals.

A native of Connecticut, David’s career began with a volunteer position at a local Community Action child care center. This led to a child care teaching position and then a counselor role with at-risk teens. His non-profit management career began when hired at age 28 as the new Executive Director of the Leominster Multi-Service Center in North Central MA. Over the next few decades, David served in a variety of executive leadership roles in Central and Western MA, including: Director of a Springfield nutrition program for low-income women, infants, and children (WIC); Director of First Call for Help in Hampshire County; founding Executive Director of Worcester Community Loan Fund, Worcester Common Ground (a community land trust and developer of housing cooperatives), and Mass211 (the statewide 2-1-1 Information and Referral system for MA).

Just before joining the Early Care & Learning Council, David served for nearly 12 years as the Executive Director of DIAL/SELF Youth and Community Services, where he initiated a number of new programs and greatly expanded services for at-risk youth in rural Western MA.

Reflecting on these past couple of months, David reports, “I am delighted to be working for such a diverse network of agencies with the support of a talented and enthusiastic staff.”

Board Chair and Child Care Council of Westchester Executive Director Kathleen Halas is thrilled that the Board was able to find such a qualified leader with impressive nonprofit sector experience. “David brings energy, knowledge and skills to the organization and the state CCR&R network that strengthen our collective capacity to effectively serve children and families in communities all across New York State.”

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Early Care & Learning Council: For more than thirty-five years, the Early Care & Learning Council has been a leading voice for early care and education in New York State.  With its statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies, the Council has successfully fought for increases in funding to support early childhood programs and for the reform of child care laws, regulations and policies to improve safety and quality in child care settings. The Council and partners work to increase the quality, affordability and capacity of the early care and learning field and does so through training and technical assistance, data management and advocacy initiatives. For more information, please call (518) 690-4217 or visit www.earlycareandlearning.org.