Sheryl Barnett - Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sheryl Barnett is the Chairwoman of the National Even Start Association and Vice-President of Volunteers of America, Dakotas. In that role, she provides leadership for a continuum of diverse programs, training and quality assurance. She currently serves on the South Dakota Early Childhood Council, Success by Six Committee, the South Dakota Group Care providers and the Sioux Falls Child Care Task Force.

Sheryl holds a Masters in Education from South Dakota State University, is a licensed professional counselor and certified Common Sense Parenting trainer. She has worked in social services for thirty years developing and implementing mental health, child care and family literacy services.

Sheryl is a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the National Even Start Association. Her involvement in Even Start Family Literacy began as the Director of a local program in 1992. Her team currently serves as the Training and Technical Assistance entity for South Dakota Even Start programs. Cheryl represents the North Central region of the country.

Fred Bragan - Syracuse, New York

Fred is currently the Superintendent of the Canastota Central School District in Canastota, New York. In his 22 years as an educator, Fred has been teacher, assistant director and director of special education programs, assistant superintendent of instruction and superintendent of schools.

Fred holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Citadel, a Masters in education from New York University and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Education Administration from Cortland University. He has served as a consultant for reading instruction and instructional methodology in schools in several states during his career.

Fred first became involved with Even Start as a Director of Special Programs in Lyons, New York. He served as a district liaison to two Even Start programs; one of which was an Even Start Jail program. Fred served on the management teams for both of the programs.

Libby Culver - Durango, Colorado

Libby is the administrator for early childhood and mentoring programs for the Durango School District in Durango, Colorado. This is Libby's 12th year as the Coordinator of local Even Start programs, having supervised programs in Durango, two other school districts in southwest Colorado and one for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

Libby holds a Masters in Life Span Care and Administration from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has 25 years experience in education and has taught kindergarten and preschool. She was the Director of an Early Head Start program, in addition to her work in Even Start.

Libby is a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the National Even Start Association. During her years on the Board, Libby's focus has been on professional development. Libby represents the South West region of the country.

Judy Devey - Prince Frederick, Maryland

Judy Devey is the Coordinator of three Even Start grants, including a Teen Parenting program at one of the high schools in Calvert County, Maryland. Judy has been employed by the Calvert County Schools in the Early Childhood Department for over twenty years.

Judy holds a Bachelors Degree in Family Studies from The University of Maryland. In addition to her work with families through the school district, Judy serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maryland. She also coordinates the Calvert County Interagency Council for Children and Families, a collaborative organization consisting of 70 member agencies.

Judy first became involved in Even Start as the Coordinator of her first local program over ten years ago. Judy represents the North East region of the country.

Brad Everett - Pekin, Illinois

Brad is currently a lead adjunct faculty member of the English and Community Outreach Departments at Illinois Central College and part-time instructor of Teacher Education at Bradley University. Brad is available to local literacy programs as a consultant and evaluator. He provides workshops on family literacy/education for Illinois administrators and program directors.

Brad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, a Master of Arts degree in Education, and an Education Administration Endorsement from Bradley University. In his 37 years as an educator, he has been a preschool-8th grade teacher, an elementary school principal, an Even Start program director/principal, and a college instructor. He was recognized for excellence in teaching with an Illinois Master Teacher Award and A Those Who Excel in Teaching Award. He received national recognition as an administrator of a Blue Ribbon - No Child Left Behind school.

Brad is a charter member of the Board of Directors of the National Even Start Association. He was a director/principal of the Pekin Even Start Family Literacy program for twelve years. As a NESA board member, he has focused his efforts on Board Policy and Governance and is currently committee chairperson. Brad represents the central region of the country.

Denise Gasper - Newaygo, Michigan

Denise Gasper is currently Director of Early Childhood Education for the school districts in Newaygo County, Michigan. Denise also serves as a director of one of the two Michigan Even Start Technical Assistance and Training Centers. Denise has been a trainer for Region 5 Head Start and also served on a number of State level committees in Michigan.

Denise holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, and has 30 years experience in education in both teaching and administration.

Denise is a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the National Even Start Association. She has been an Even Start Family Literacy Program Director program for fifteen years, including eight years directing a tri-state Migrant Even Start program. Denise is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Family Literacy Forum and Chairs the Professional Services Committee. Denise represents the North Central region of the country.

Susan Henry - San Diego, California

Sue is currently the Executive Director of the National Even Start Association and the Director of Professional Development and Curriculum for San Diego School Readiness grant. Prior to relocating to San Diego, Sue was the State Coordinator for Even Start in New York for fifteen years and an Adjunct Professor for the State University of New York. Sue holds a Masters Degree in Education from Syracuse University and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Education Administration from the University of the State of New York. She has 35 years of experience in teaching early childhood education, special education and adult education, and administration at the local, regional and state levels.

Sue first became involved in Even Start when the responsibility for administering Even Start moved from the US Department of Education to the States as a member of the New York State Education Department’s management team in 1987. Sue represents NESA on the expert work group for State accountability Systems and Indicators of Program Quality and the work group for Interactive Literacy. Sue is a Certified Trainer for NESA’s Keys to Quality: Program Leadership and Keys to Quality: Parenting Education, and serves as the lead for NESA’s collaboration with Harcourt Achieve on professional development. Sue represents the Southwest region of the country.

Scott Himelstein – Sacramento, California

Scott Himelstein is the Acting Secretary of Education for the State of California. In 1994, Scott formed the National Even Start Association to provide a forum to meet the unique needs of Even Start Family Literacy Providers and to advocate for the Even Start Family Literacy program.

Scott holds a B.A. from the University of San Diego.

In recognition of more than a decade of dedication to charitable causes, he has received several awards, including Teacher Leader Award, Reading Recovery Council of North America, 2005; Community Leader of the Year, San Diego Union Tribune, 2005; William F. Goodling Award for outstanding contributions in family literacy, 2002; Citizen of the Year for Phi Delta Kappa, 2001; and nominated Outstanding Young Citizen, San Diego Chamber of Commerce, 1990.

Sandra Howe - Brighton, Michigan

Sandy is currently a consultant to the Michigan Department of Education, coordinating the revision of Michigan's Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Pre-kindergarten, and providing technical assistance and professional development to Even Start programs across Michigan. She also provides training and consultant services to local school districts and agencies.

Sandy holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. Her professional experience includes 35 years in the field of education as a teacher, elementary school principal, program director and college instructor.

Sandy is a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the National Even Start Association. She was an Even Start Family Literacy program director for twelve years, is currently a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Family Literacy Forum, and is a certified trainer for NESA's Keys to Quality: Program Leadership. Sandy represents the North Central region of the country.

Nancy Ryan - Newport, Rhode Island

Nancy is the director of An Even Start in Newport, Rhode Island. She has over 35 years experience in education in Michigan and Rhode Island.

She holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from Rhode Island College, with a concentration in Early Childhood. She started her career as an elementary classroom teacher, and later became an elementary reading teacher for Newport Public Schools. She then became the Early Childhood Coordinator for the district, responsible for preschool developmental screenings and transitioning children with special needs into public schools' special programs. At the same time, she was the Assistant Education Coordinator for a six-year national Head Start-public school transition grant called Project REACH. In addition, Nancy has been a full-time Professional Lecturer at Salve Regina University, teaching early childhood education courses and supervising student teachers.

Nancy has been on many local and state committees and involved with writing several grants for Newport Public Schools. The most recent one is a federal three-year Early Reading First community collaborative grant for preschool centers of excellence, for which she served as its initial Director.

Nancy has been on the Board of Directors for the National Even Start Association since 2002, and is presently Chairman of the Legislative and Advocacy Committee. She first became involved in Even Start Family Literacy as a local Director ten years ago. She represents the North East region of the country.

Patty Ball Thomas - Tallahassee, Florida

Patty is currently an Assistant Professor of Reading and Child Development at Florida A &M University. Previously she served as the Director of Early Intervention and School Readiness for the Florida Department of Education and as a reading consultant for the State of Florida. Her education experience also includes teaching and administrative positions in Florida's public schools.

Patty holds a PhD in Education Leadership from Florida A&M University, focusing her dissertation on brain development and school readiness. Patty directed the development of the "Sunshine Skill Builder," a child development guide for parents of children from birth to age five.

Patty is a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the National Even Start Association. Patty first became involved in Even Start as the State Coordinator for Even Start in Florida. Patty represents the South East region of the country.

Susan Underwood - Bigelow, Arkansas

Bio Coming Soon

Sallie Wilson - Sacramento, California

Sallie is a Program Education Consultant for the California Department of Education in the Secondary, Postsecondary and Adult Leadership Division. She works directly with the high schools, middle schools, colleges, and universities to improve the academic achievement of students K-16. In this position, Sallie is responsible for the Advanced Placement Program enhancements and coordinating the WASC/CDE Focal on Learning Joint Accreditation Process. She started her career as a classroom teacher, and has served as a principal, school board member and school district administrator.

Sallie has a Masters in Education from San Francisco University and has done post-graduate work at Harvard University. She has served on the US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Review Committee, several special task committees including the "Equipped for the Future" study sponsored by the National Literacy Association.

Sallie first became involved in Even Start as State Coordinator for California. In this position, she established guidelines for the administration of local projects and developed a process for evaluating projects. She represented the National Even Start Association on a three-year study of literacy issues throughout the nation conducted by Policy Study Associates. Sallie represents the South West region of the country.