Pre-Conference Info October 13, 2026

Please see below for details on the sessions being offered during our Pre-Conference on October 13, 2026. Kindly note that Pre-Conference registration is separate from Full Conference registration, and you must be registered specifically for the Pre-Conference to attend these sessions.

Each Pre-Conference session is a 6-hour training designed to provide in-depth learning and practical strategies. Please note that lunch is not included.

(1) Holding the Family Story: An Embodied Stewardship Experience for Reimagining What Families Need with Lisa Wilson

October 13, 2026 | 9:00-4:30 PM | Members $275 per person / Non-Members $300 per person

Description:

Caring for Ourselves, Honoring Family Wisdom, and Creating Our Collective North Star. Successful family engagement begins with our ability to listen deeply—to ourselves, to one another, and to the stories, strengths, and aspirations of the families we serve. Grounded in the belief that families are children’s first and most important teachers, this immersive pre-conference experience invites Head Start and Early Head Start leaders, educators, family service professionals, and advocates to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the heart of their work.

Through guided reflection, embodied learning practices, storytelling, and collaborative dialogue, participants will explore the realities facing today’s children, families, and workforce while honoring the wisdom and resilience that already exist within communities. Together, we will examine what we carry as leaders, what families are asking us to see, and how we can create the conditions for children and families to thrive.

This experience moves beyond traditional professional development to focus on stewardship, relationships, and collective vision. Participants will engage in a process of imagining what becomes possible when family voice, family leadership, and family aspirations help shape the future of programs, communities, and systems of support.

By the end of the day, participants will leave with renewed purpose, strengthened connections, practical tools for reflection and partnership, and a shared North Star for advancing family well-being, child development, and community flourishing.

Participants will:

• Explore strategies for caregiver and workforce well-being through reflective and embodied practices.
• Deepen understanding of family strengths, aspirations, and lived experiences.
• Strengthen connections between family engagement, leadership, and organizational culture.
• Create a collective vision for supporting thriving children, families, and communities.
• Identify actionable stewardship commitments to bring back to their programs and organizations.

Target Audience:

• Assistant Directors and Program Managers
• Early Head Start Content Managers
• Family Engagement Coordinators
• Infant and toddler practitioners and coaches

This experience is designed for those who believe that when we honor the family story, we strengthen the future for children, families, and communities alike.

Facilitator:

Lisa M. Wilson
Director of Outreach & Engagement
ZERO TO THREE

Lisa Marie Wilson is an educator, leadership strategist, speaker, and consultant with more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education. As Director of Outreach & Engagement at ZERO TO THREE, she leads national initiatives focused on leadership development, professional learning, and community engagement. Lisa holds a Master of Education in Multicultural Curriculum and Instruction and is currently completing her Doctorate of Education in Teaching and Curriculum.

(2) Navigating the Changing Tides: Program and Fiscal Leadership in Head Start with Cynthia Yao and Matthew Louie

October 13, 2026 | 9:00-4:30 PM | Members $275 per person / Non-Members $300 per person

Description:

The Head Start landscape is experiencing significant change. Proposed regulatory updates, evolving federal priorities, fiscal pressures, workforce challenges, enrollment and attendance concerns, and increasing expectations for accountability are requiring leaders to adapt while remaining focused on quality services for children and families.

This full-day pre-conference institute brings together program, fiscal, governance, and executive leaders to explore how organizations can successfully navigate change while maintaining stability and organizational effectiveness. Participants will examine emerging federal developments, potential changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards and Uniform Guidance, and the implications these shifts may have for program operations, fiscal management, governance, and strategic planning.

A central focus of the institute will be strengthening the partnership between program and fiscal leadership. Through interactive discussions, real-world scenarios, and data-informed planning activities, participants will learn how collaboration across disciplines can support stronger decision-making, continuous program improvement, and long-term sustainability.

As changing tides continue to shape the Head Start environment, leaders must be prepared not only to respond, but to chart a course forward with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

Participants will:

• Explore current and emerging federal developments affecting Head Start and Early Head Start programs, including regulatory and fiscal updates.
• Strengthen understanding of the interconnected roles of program, fiscal, governance, and executive leadership in organizational success.
• Identify strategies for building effective partnerships between program and fiscal teams that support compliance, quality, and sustainability.
• Analyze enrollment, attendance, workforce, fiscal, and monitoring data to support continuous program improvement and informed decision-making.
• Develop practical approaches for leading organizations through uncertainty while maintaining a focus on children, families, and mission-driven outcomes.

Intended Audience: 

• Executive Directors and CEOs
• Head Start and Early Head Start Directors
• Program Managers and Coordinators
• Fiscal Directors, Managers, and Finance Staff
• Human Resources and Operations Leaders
• Governing Body Members
• Policy Council Members
• Emerging Leaders

Facilitators:

Cynthia Yao
Founder & CEO, RISE Partners LLC
Former Regional Program Director, Office of Head Start

Matthew Louie
Principal Consultant, Portsmouth Square Consulting LLC
Former Financial Operations Specialist, Office of Grants Management

Drawing upon their combined federal experience in both programmatic and fiscal oversight, Cynthia and Matthew provide a unique perspective on navigating today’s Head Start environment. Together, they help organizations strengthen leadership capacity, align program and fiscal systems, leverage data for decision-making, and build resilient organizations capable of thriving through change.