“Theraplay uses practitioner guidance to create playful and caring child-adult interactions that foster joyful shared experiences. These activities build attunement and understanding of each other – replicating early relationship experiences that are proven to lead to secure attachment. The interactions are personal, physical and fun – a natural way for everyone to experience the healing power of being together.” — Theraplay.org

Making meaningful connections and building healthy attachment with children is our priority. Throughout our daily interactions, Theraplay can help us meaningfully connect and converse with our children, focusing on the four essential qualities found in healthy caregiver-child relationships:

• Nurture
• Structure
• Engagement
• Challenge

We will discuss appropriate activities in each of the four dimensions and their impact on caregiver-child attachment and interactions.

Training in Theraplay is appropriate for anyone who is a direct service provider working with children and/or families. The training information is essential for social workers, psychologists, teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and mental health professionals. For more information on Theraplay’s trainings, visit theraplay.org/what-is-theraplay/core-concepts.

This session is appropriate for teachers, instructional coaches, leadership and caregivers of children two to five. One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenter: Merna ElSols, M.MFT is the Assistant Child and Teen Director at The Refuge Center. She earned her degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Lipscomb University. She is also a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Merna uses a person-centered, integrative and systemic approach to help individuals and families increase their emotional expression and enhance their communication styles. She believes that the answers to many of the struggles we go through in life come from within us and that, through effective communication and emotional disclosure, we can build stronger relationships to endure any life hardship we encounter.

Merna is trained in Brainspotting (Phase I & II), EMDR (with children and with complex trauma), ASIST Method and Mental Health First Aid. She is also a QPR Gatekeeper Instructor and a Prepare/Enrich Facilitator. Merna continues to receive training in the Gottman Method, Restoration Therapy, TraumaPlay, Theraplay, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and play therapy.

Join Susan Frizsell of FabFriz Education as she presents, “Immersive Storytelling: The Stonecutter, Gratitude for Community Helpers.” Play along with Susan as she shows you art projects for storytelling props, along with ways to sneak in literacy skills and teach gratitude for community helpers through the story of the Stonecutter. Participants will do a brief art project at home and receive a literacy skills worksheet that goes along with the story. Susan will perform the Stonecutter with the help of those in the webinar, modeling how students can be a part of the story in the classroom! One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenter: After many years of educating kids ages two through 16, winning North Carolina Middle School Teacher of the Year for region 8 and expanding the Bringing Books to Life program at the Nashville Public Library, Susan Frizsell is spreading her creative sequined style of storytelling to schools all over Tennessee and beyond and teaching kids to love reading!

From mud painting to snow-canoes, incorporating simple, yet unforgettable experiences with the natural world is easier than you think. Three early-childhood education experts will share how they created easy outdoor design elements that can be implemented at any preschool and with any budget. They will present dozens of simple activities geared to help you create inviting and accessible outdoor hands-on experiences for all students. This session is appropriate for teachers, instructional coaches, leadership and caregivers of children zero to eight. One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form. Link to reflection form will be provided following the webinar. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenters: Megan Gessler is the Little Trees Program Supervisor for The Morton Arboretum with more than a decade of experience teaching and directing a nature-based preschool. Megan founded the Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association and serves on the Executive Leadership team of the North American Association of Environmental Education’s Natural Start Alliance. Megan holds an M.Ed. and a certificate in Nature-based Early Childhood Education from Antioch University New England and is a certified Master Naturalist. She is co-author of the Environmental Kinship Guide and contributing author of The Sky Above and the Mud Below and Nature-Based Early Childhood Program Assessment and Guidebook (publication in 2023). Email her at mgessler@mortonarb.org.

Blair Rodgers is a Little Trees Program Instructor at The Morton Arboretum. Blair has a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education with a Special Education endorsement. She has many years of experience working in a public education environment, but her love for nature-based education put her on a new career path: daily adventures with students as they explore, investigate and learn together in nature as a community. Email her at brodgers@mortonarb.org.

Mariam Murphy is the Youth and Family Programs Inclusion Coordinator at The Morton Arboretum. Her most vivid childhood memories of playing outdoors include seeing dragonflies, catching falling leaves and experimenting how long it would take water to freeze on the first snowy day of the year. As a special educator with a love of outdoor exploration, she provides opportunities for individuals with special needs to connect with nature. She is a contributing author of Naturally Inclusive: Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors. Mariam hopes to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef while being inspired by local seasonal ingredients in everything she bakes. Email her at mariammurphy@mortonarb.org.

Join us for an eye-opening webinar into the world of graphic novels and comic books using an equity lens. This webinar will introduce you to new graphic novels and comic books while taking a blast to the past into classics. In this session, you will:

• Identify research that supports the why behind representation in graphic novels and comic books
• Intentionally choose graphic novels and comic books using an equity lens
• Understand the connection between graphic novels and comic books and literacy development

One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenter: Ashmin Small has a passion for early childhood education, especially early literacy. She is the Regional Coordinator for the Central Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) Network.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage your emotions while recognizing and navigating the emotions of others. This series will provide a deep dive into the emotional intelligence skills needed to support a healthy and productive organizational culture. Session eight explores how the power of intention lies in understanding that mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth. This power helps us to understand effective consequences in the workplace that support growth for individuals and the organization. This session will provide the information and strategies to support intention and consequences. This session is appropriate for everyone and is part eight of an eight-part series. View missed sessions in our archive at unitedwaynashville.org/rts-training.

One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenter: Elandriel Lewis is the senior manager of early learning and training at United Way of Greater Nashville where she works with community early childhood teachers and leaders to ensure lifelong educational and personal success for children and families. Elandriel believes that every child deserves safe, stable, nurturing relationships and time outdoors to support academic and social-emotional growth.

Join us as Liza Lowe of Inside-Outside and Antioch University presents, “Routines and Transitions: Establishing Classroom Community Outdoors.” This webinar will offer strategies and techniques to begin (and continue) the exciting adventure of taking children outdoors. Learn songs, activities and models you can follow to establish solid routines that will help get you and your students outdoors with confidence and ease. Takeaways: transition strategies, successful daily routines, seasonal songs, and simple activities to focus the group.

One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenter: Liza Lowe is Affiliate Faculty at Antioch University New England, Director of Inside-Outside and teaches the Working with Families and Communities course in the NbEC Certificate program. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Psychology from the CSB and SJU in Minnesota and received her teaching certificate and Master of Education in Elementary Education with an Environmental Education concentration from AUNE. For more than 10 years, Liza taught children of all ages through outdoor, environmental education in Maryland, Michigan and Vermont before founding Wild Roots Nature School, a nature-based preschool/kindergarten in New Hampshire in 2013. Liza enjoys supporting teachers in the important work of engaging children with nature and outdoor learning.

Join Ashley Jasinski of the Regional Intervention Program (RIP) as she presents, “Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Overview.”

Join us as professional musician and music educator Dean Marold shows you how a little can go a long way in teaching children about the incredible world of music. Regardless of your musical ability, there’s so much you can do! Dean is a strong advocate for music in the early childhood classroom and will give you simple ideas and tools to implement into your curriculum. These then can be adjusted depending on your and your students’ skillsets. One hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz. United Way of Greater Nashville is a Pre-Approved Institution with TrainTN. Documentation of attendance and participation should be entered by your TNPAL verified director in their TrainTN Director Portal.

About the Presenter: A Colorado native, Dean has been a professional musician for more than 20 years and a teacher for more than 30 years. He has lived in Nashville since 2007 and splits his time between performing/recording/songwriting and teaching. Dean has been a classroom instructor and music director at Calvary Young Children’s School in Nashville for the past 14 years, where he teaches music to kids ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. He has an original children’s music project called GOOD DAY DEAN and an album titled If I Could Go Back In Time. Find out more and connect with Dean at www.gooddaydean.com

Dr. Jane Humphries and Kari Rains share practical solutions and approaches to build resilience in children during difficult times.

Children today are living and learning to function in many societal circumstances, some more complicated than others. Early childhood providers can either reel from this changing landscape of society and ignore the impacts on young children and their families or continue to seek out information, resources and activities that support their classrooms. This presentation lends practical solutions and approaches to give children a fighting chance not only in the classroom or program environment, but also in daily life. It is our belief and experience that early childhood professionals can largely impact the trajectory of children’s lives.

Three hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenters: Dr. Jane Humphries experience in the early care and education field has included being a childcare director of an NAEYC accredited program that experienced and was resilient after a major man-made disaster, child and parenting specialist, college instructor, researcher, and program administrator of several government funded initiatives in Oklahoma. She has also been an author of several articles featured in Exchange® and her latest book co-authored with Kari Rains titled, A Fighting Chance: Supporting Young Children Experiencing Disruptive Change, due to be published by Redleaf Press® in May 2017. Besides founding her own company, Creative Educational Strategies & Services LLC which is dedicated to quality professional development and products for young children, Dr. Humphries is the developer of products that were designed to help children who need sensory stimulation to calm themselves. She currently serves as an adjunct instructor in the Human Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Central Oklahoma and has taught for 15 years as an adjunct in the Early Childhood Administration graduate program at National Louis University. Personally, her two-year-old son was one of the children playing out on the playground years ago just 6 blocks away when the Federal Murrah building in Oklahoma City was bombed. Years of experience and observing his resiliency throughout his life has allowed her to see first-hand the importance of engagement from a parent perspective and managing further disruptive change events in his life. She has earned undergraduate degrees in Family and Child Development, a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, and a doctoral degree in Occupational and Adult Education from Oklahoma State University.

Kari Rains, a Child Development Specialist, has over a decade of clinical work in the early intervention program provided in the state of Oklahoma. In this work, Kari worked to find practical solutions for families and early childhood teachers and directors who have few resources within the rural areas of Oklahoma. This includes providing practical solutions to those living and working with children struggling with social and emotional regulation issues. Kari is also a mother of a child that was diagnosed ADHD/Sensory Processing/Tourette’s which has allowed her to see first-hand the realities of being a parent whose child has difficulty with change and as an early childhood professional. She has served as an adjunct instructor, published two books and numerous research articles in the field of child development to include articles in Exchange®. Co-author with Dr. Humphries on their book titled, A Fighting Chance: Supporting Young Children Experiencing Disruptive Change and published by Redleaf Press® in May 2017, this will be a must have resource. Teaming with Dr. Jane in 2013, it is their mission to assist those who work with children and adults who struggle with social/emotional regulation issues. Kari earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and her master’s degree in Child Development, both from Oklahoma State University.

Get ready to invigorate your classroom and school through innovative Anti-bias Literacy Practices. Hear from Allen Rosales on how the Anti-bias Literacy Approach has transformed how teachers engage children with high quality instructional read alouds. You will be introduced to the Anti-bias Literacy Framework and tools that will support your planning and implementation of meaningful storybook and representational drawing experiences.

Three hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenter: Allen Rosales has a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked in the field for over 28 years. During that time, he has held the role of teacher, education manager, coach, professor, national presenter, author, and now Senior Program Advisor for the Carole Robertson Center for Learning. 

In this workshop, Dr. Angela teaches how to use the Push Past It! framework to deal with conflicts with adults. The workshop explores negativity bias and meaning making to discover the needs of others. The workshop uses a strength-based lens and skilled dialogue to resolve conflicts. Be ready to dance and push past conflicts with humor and music.

1.5 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenter: Dr. Angela Searcy holds a B.A. with teacher certification though the state of Illinois, a M.S. degree in early childhood development from Erikson Institute, with a specialization in Infant Studies and a Doctorate in Education with a specialization in Response to Intervention and Assessment. Her research centers around brain-based learning assessed by the CLASS assessment and its’ correlation to aggressive behaviors in preschool classrooms. Angela is currently a candidate in Erikson Institute’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Certificate program.

She is the owner and founder of Simple Solutions Educational Services, a professional development company. An educator since 1990 Angela has experience at all levels of education including infants, toddlers, preschool, 6th grade, 8th grade and 9th grades. A credentialed developmental therapist through the state of Illinois and former neuro-developmental specialist, Angela has specialized training in neuroscience. Angela is currently a mental health/ educational consultant, an adjunct faculty member and seminar leader at Erikson Institute, and the author of Push Past It! A Positive Approach to Challenging Classroom Behaviors with Gryphon House Publishing. Her Book Elevating Equity is due for release next year.

Dr. Maria Trejo’s presentation provides examples of how to develop and deliver integrated lessons to reduce teacher burden, address multiple developmental foundations, increase children vocabulary in context, and engage parental or care-giver support.

1 hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenter: Dr. Maria Trejo has a long career as teacher, administrator, and advocate for children and communities. She has worked with early childhood and preschool educators and programs for the last 20 years. She is a national and international consultant and coach in the areas of literacy, mathematics, and program implementation Pre-K to university. Her unique expertise has been working with struggling readers, under performing students, and communities. Maria had a long career with the California State Department of Education implementing educational policies, supporting program initiatives, and securing resources. She was a principal contributor to the development of Early Childhood Curriculum Frameworks for the state of California.

Lindsey Frank presents “Butterflies to “Blooms”: How Resilience Grows Our Young Learners.” Explore together how resilience becomes the foundational skill within our young learners. When we partner resilience with learning, our butterflies (students) can fly! During this session, you will learn resilience-building strategies and fun activities for both you and your learners, and how resilience can lead to deeper learning.

1.5 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenter: Lindsey J. Frank, M.Ed., is dedicated to connecting with children, their families, and education professionals around the world through wellness. She has taught and supported students ranging from early learning through junior high across diverse learning environments. Her passion is connecting teaching practices, wellness, and social and emotional learning (SEL) within education. She is an educator, SEL specialist, Learning Behavior Specialist, well-being coach, mindfulness and meditation teacher, and certified yoga instructor for adults and children. Lindsey is the author of Big Change, Better You, Beautiful World and is published in Educating Mindfully: Stories of School Transformation Through Mindfulness.

Website: TheButterflyWithin.Me

In this inspirational and engaging training, participants explore what it means to be resilient and how leadership affects the resilience of any business. Leah Mangrum and Amy Wilcox discuss principles of resilience and provide strategies for working this “resilience muscle” that can be implemented immediately.

1.5 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenters: Leah Mangrum is a Small Business Support Specialist with TN Child Care Resource & Referral where she supports new and existing directors in the Mid-Cumberland region. She found her passion for leadership development during her former experience as a director of a licensed childcare agency in Nashville, though she has held a variety of roles in the early childhood profession over the past two decades. Leah has contributed to the profession in recent years by serving on the Executive Board of NAAEYC, participating in a middle TN director support group as well as a “Teacher Pipeline, Partnerships & Policy Work Group ” in association with TN Blueprint for Early Childhood Success. Leah currently serves on TACEE governing board.

Amy Wilcox has served in the Early Childhood field for over 20 years working with children, families and teachers as an Educator and ECE Director. Currently serving as an Early Childhood Quality Coach for Mid-Cumberland CCR&R. She works with DHS licensed programs in Williamson County by providing resources, training and coaching. Amy is very involved in the Nashville Area Association for the Education of Young Children NAAEYC currently serving on the Board as Past President. She volunteers and serves on the board of the Friends of the Brentwood Library and volunteers with Adopt a Golden Nashville. She received her B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

Building resilience skills in young children requires intentionality in process as well as in the environment in which it is taught. A large body of research shows that the outdoor space is an exceptional tool that can provide support for building resilience in children and adults. This session provides concrete techniques for integrating social-emotional learning and time outdoors to optimize outcomes for all.

1.5 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenters: Jessica Yuill is the Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) Senior Outreach Coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation. Jessica guides ECHO’s professional development work and supports outreach to partners and communities that support young children. She has previously worked as an early childhood educator, an early literacy home visitor, and as a family engagement liaison. Jessica believes that all children and families deserve access to nature, and she is passionate about supporting communities in creating opportunities for all children.

Elandriel Lewis is the Senior Manager of Early Learning and Training for the United Way of Greater Nashville where she works with community early childhood teachers and leaders to ensure lifelong educational and personal success for children and families. Elandriel believes that every child deserves safe, stable, nurturing relationships and time outdoors to support academic and social-emotional growth.

Using the strong tradition of puppetry with the Nashville Public Library, we demystify that puppets can only be used by professionals, or people who are comfortable with acting, and explain how children automatically connect and feel comfort from a puppet friend or even a stuffed animal. We explain how combining this cozy confidant with books chosen not only to help kids understand their feelings but also how to deal with them, giving adults much needed tools to navigate big emotions.

1.5 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenters: Susan Frizsell’s years of teaching experience with preschool, elementary and middle school art inspired her to create fun and engaging lessons to keep students’ attention while teaching state standards. Now, she’s passing along what she’s learned to teachers as curriculum coordinator and training specialist for Nashville Public Library’s Bringing Books to Life.

Marie Preptit serves as the program coordinator for Nashville Public Library’s Bringing Books to Life. She possesses a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and Spanish from Belmont University. Marie coordinates day-to-day programming, partner relations, data collection and outcome reporting. She also conducts story times, teacher training and workshops for parents, all while supervising part-time outreach assistants. She brings to the program experience as a preschool teacher as well as a preschool administrator.

This session focuses on the role of historical trauma on the mental health of children and families. Much of the current trauma-informed movement is concentrated on building individual resilience, while ignoring the role of historical trauma and the systemic structures that prevent healing. During this session, the presenters talk about historical and racial trauma, including institutional barriers that continue to traumatize children and families on a daily basis. Participants learn how to promote healing within their programs and organizations.

3 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenters: Dr. Ebonyse Mead is the Birth to Kindergarten Clinical Instructor at Georgia Southern University and president of the Educational Equity Institute. For 18 years, Ebonyse has worked in communities to improve health and educational outcomes for children of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Since 2016, Ebonyse has provided statewide training on diversity, inclusion and equity with a particular focus on examining structural barriers to educational equity, implicit racial bias, and culturally responsive instruction to the early childhood workforce in North Carolina.

Dr. Jen Neitzel is the Executive Director of the Educational Equity Institute, which is focused on eliminating the educational and opportunity gaps within communities through systems level change. Prior to this work, Jen was a Research Scientist and Technical Assistance Provider at FPG Child Development Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill for 15 years. During her time at FPG, her work focused on implicit bias; disparities in suspensions and expulsions; trauma; and culturally responsive anti-bias practices. Jen presents frequently at state and national conferences and is widely published in peer-reviewed journals. She also is the author of the book Achieving Equity and Justice in Education through the Work of Systems Change.

The TDMHSAS Regional intervention Program (RIP) is a parent-implemented, professionally supported program for young children and their families who are experiencing challenging behaviors. RIP has been serving families with young children since 1969. This unique, internationally recognized program guides parents in learning the skills to work directly with their own children while they receive training and support from experienced RIP families. Peer support and valuing lived experience has been central to the RIP model since its inception. In this session, explore the data that demonstrates why these parent-peer connections are so vital to parent resilience and how RIP makes it happen every day. In this session, attendees will: learn about the history and model of the Regional Intervention Program (RIP); understand the philosophy behind program’s central commitment to Parent Implementation, which is woven throughout both day-to-day programming and overall operations; discuss how both Parent Implementation and shared community and leads to resilience for parents. Particularly when working to address challenging behaviors; walk away with strategies for engaging parents to build family resilience and support Early Childhood Education Environment & Family partnerships.

1.5 hours of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenters: Jasmine Davis is a Parent Case Manager for the Regional Intervention Program (RIP). In this role, Jasmine works closely with families who are experiencing challenging behaviors, teaching strategies and techniques to manage their child’s challenging behavior. Prior to this role, she graduated the RIP program with her son. Jasmine loves supporting and empowering families.

Jaime Herndon is the Program Coordinator for the Regional Intervention Program (RIP) with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. RIP is a parent-implemented, professionally-supported program for families of young children who are experiencing challenging behavior. Jaime is a Certified Family Support Specialist in the State of Tennessee, where she serves RIP families with the unique perspective of having completed the program her with her own family. Her personal experience with the program sparked a desire to join RIP’s mission of empowering parents as teachers and advocates for their children.

Ashley Jasinski is the Technical Assistance and Expansion Coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services’ Regional Intervention Program (RIP). RIP is a positive parenting program for families with children under the age of 6 with behavioral concerns. Ashley received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and minor in Early Childhood Development and Learning; and Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a dual specialization in both Early Child Populations and also Childhood Abuse and Trauma. With her over 20 years of experience working with behaviors and the early childhood populations through her role as a counselor, preschool teacher, ABA line therapist, Early Childhood Programming Coordinator, and RIP Program Coordinator at the Columbia RIP site; she has a passion for helping families with young children. Additionally, Ashley is a certified trainer in PACEs, CARE Model and Pyramid Model which she uses to empower families and educate community members through training on PACEs, Positive Behavior Management tips and techniques, and Social Emotional Learning. Besides her passion for early childhood populations and empowering families, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.

Melissa Binkley, MS, is the Program Director for the Regional Intervention Program (RIP) with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. In this role, Melissa provides support and oversight to an internationally recognized, parent-implemented, professionally-supported program for young children and their families who are experiencing challenging behaviors. She has worked for over 15 years in child-serving agencies to support Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention efforts around fostering cognitive and social emotional development in young children. She most enjoys working alongside children and their caregivers as they make plans & solve problems. She lives in Nashville with her husband and toddler.

We pour into others, but are you pouring into yourself? This session explores practical and applicable ways to build your resilience as a leader to better support your team.

1 hour of TN DHS credit is available upon completion of a reflection form/quiz.

About the Presenter: A dynamic and passionate Education Management Professional with more than 15 years of experience, Alyssa Dituro loves early childhood education. She is a TACEE, NAEYC, and AIMHiTN member and has an Infant Mental Health endorsement. She is the executive director of McNeilly Center for Children in East Nashville.