Quality Child Care Creates Futures
A Summit on the Economic Impact of Early Care & Learning
October 26, 2023 | 8:30 am to 1 pm
Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage
Thank you for attending thread’s 5th Summit on the Economic Impact of Early Care & Learning: Quality Child Care Creates Futures! This event brought together nearly 200 participants including businesses, elected officials, and community leaders for a discussion around the economic and social benefits of early care and learning in Alaska.
A strong child care system creates futures. Today’s workforce is supported while tomorrow’s workforce gets a strong foundation for school and life. Families are less stressed. Businesses are more productive. Alaska’s economy grows.
But, many families in Alaska have limited or no access to quality child care. Businesses are struggling to retain employees that need child care. The child care workforce is struggling to stay in the field because of low wages. Change is necessary, critical — and attainable.
Summit Resources & Downloads
To see presentation slides and recordings, open the agenda section below. Email us with any questions!
prepared for thread by mckinley research group
2023 Economic Impact Report
This summary of the 2023 Economic Impact Report prepared for thread by McKinley Research Group highlights the role that early care and education plays in Alaska’s economy.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Untapped Potential: How Childcare Impacts Alaska’s Workforce Productivity and the State Economy
This report estimates how often parents are missing work or educational opportunities because of insufficient child care and models the financial impact to the Alaska economy.
Bipartisan Policy Center
Resource List
This list of links from Linda K. Smith with the Bipartisan Policy Center includes child care data and a toolkit for building bipartisan support for child care.
summit video
Rethinking America’s Child Care System
Linda K. Smith played this video from the Bipartisan Policy Center to highlight the challenges facing the child care industry.
summit video
The Berry Family’s Story
Hear from parents in Alaska as they discuss the impact of child care on their family.
summit video
Jasmin Smith’s Story
Hear from a small business owner and parent how businesses can support employees who depend on child care.
summit video
Providence’s Story
Working parents are grateful for the Providence Center for Child Development, but the need for child care exceeds the supply.
Summit program
View a printable PDF of the Summit program, including the full agenda and highlights of each speaker.
Summit Presentations & Slides
8:00 am Check In & Continental Breakfast
8:30 am Summit Begins
Session 1: Bridging to the Future
Learn about the 2023 trends and needs in child care, including COVID-19 relief efforts and impact, current data from the field, and how you can join thread in bridging a future for quality child care.
PRESENTER:
- Stephanie Berglund, CEO of thread
Session 2: A Guide for the Future
Hear about the latest early care and learning economic impact data and participate in a discussion about how child care impacts our daily lives and our statewide economy.
MODERATOR: Kevin Berry, Associate Professor of Economics, College of Business & Public Policy, UAA; thread Board Vice President
PRESENTERS:
- Katie Berry, President of McKinley Research Group, LLC
- Nolan Klouda, CEcD, Executive Director of Economics and Research, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED)
- Kirsten Shelton, Vice President of McKinley Research Group, LLC
Session 3: Transforming the Future
Get inspired by a panel of local and state leaders who are creating change for the future of child care. From city ordinances and borough investments to state planning and policy change, these leaders will share how they are shaping the future for quality child care.
MODERATOR: Olivia Foster, Registered Nurse, Providence Valdez Medical Center; thread Board Treasurer; Council member, City of Valdez
PRESENTERS:
- Robert Barr, Deputy City Manager, City and Borough of Juneau; thread Board member
- The Honorable Julie Coulombe, Alaska State House of Representatives
- Eric Croft, Assistant Professor in Legal Studies, UAA; Member of the Alaska State House of Representatives from 1997-2006
- Sara Mickelson, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, State of New Mexico – Early Childhood Education and Care Department
- Casie Warner, Program Director for HYPER (Happy Youth Programs and Educational Resources), Seward Prevention Coalition
11:15–11:35 am Lunch Break
Session 4: Partnering Together for a Stronger Future
Discover how businesses and communities can partner to strengthen policies in support of child care.
MODERATOR: Stephanie Berglund, CEO of thread
PRESENTERS:
- Lori Capouch, Rural Development Director, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
- Kati Capozzi, President & CEO of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce
- Linda Smith, Director of Early Childhood Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center
1 pm Close
Speakers
8:00 am Check In & Continental Breakfast
8:30 am Summit Begins
Session 1: Bridging to the Future
Stephanie Berglund, CEO of thread
Stephanie Berglund, CEO of thread, Alaska’s Child Care Resource and Referral Organization, works to improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of early care and learning. Berglund holds leadership positions focused on strengthening early care and education, has experience working on social public policy, and enjoys creating innovative partnerships. She holds a MSW from Colorado State
Session 2: A Guide for the Future
Katie Berry, President of McKinley Research Group, LLC
Katie Berry is the President of McKinley Research Group. She leads the firm’s economic impact analyses, including some of Alaska’s most complex studies on the impacts of sectors such as oil and gas, mining, construction, seafood, and early care and education. In addition to her work on the economic impacts of early care, Berry is currently engaged in cost modeling for Alaska’s Cost of Child Care study.
Nolan Klouda, CEcD, Executive Director of Economics and Research, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED)
As Executive Director, Nolan Klouda provides overall leadership for the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED). He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council, and serves as chair of the Municipality of Anchorage Budget Advisory Commission. He lives in Anchorage with his partner Michelle, daughter Cecilia (age 4), and son Winston (age 2).
Kirsten Shelton, Vice President of McKinley Research Group, LLC
Kirsten Shelton is the Vice President of McKinley Research Group. Since joining McKinley Research Group in 2010, Shelton has managed a range of complex projects, including economic impact analyses, needs assessments, community development analysis, and strategic
Session 3: Transforming the Future
Robert Barr, Deputy City Manager, City and Borough of Juneau; thread Board member
Robert Barr is the Deputy City Manager for the City and Borough of Juneau and a thread Board member. In addition to leading a variety of government operations, Barr helps coordinate Juneau’s annual investments in child care which is intended to bolster local capacity and quality by enabling providers to offer improved wages and benefits. He believes child care is a cornerstone of our educational system and economy, and that it requires public and private financial supports to function sustainably. Barr holds a MA from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in Library Science. He and his wife have four children.
The Honorable Julie Coulombe, Alaska State House of Representatives
Representative Julie Coulombe has lived in Alaska for over 30 years. She raised her children in South Anchorage. Rep. Coulombe holds a BA in Journalism and Public Communications with a Minor in Political Science from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She is on the Governor’s Child Care Task Force and is leading child care conversations in the Legislature.
Eric Croft, Assistant Professor in Legal Studies, UAA; Member of the Alaska State House of Representatives from 1997-2006
Eric Croft was born in Alaska in 1964 and made the mistake of leaving in 1982. He returned in 1992 with a BS from Stanford, a law degree from the University of California at San Francisco, and the love of his life, Joanna. He served as a State Representative and local member of the Anchorage Assembly and School Board. He is most proud of his children Shannon and Burke. Croft is the author of Proposition 14, the recently passed charter amendment that dedicates Anchorage’s marijuana tax to pre-kindergarten education and is active in the efforts to implement it.
Sara Mickelson, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, State of New Mexico – Early Childhood Education and Care Department
Sara Mickelson is Deputy Cabinet Secretary at New Mexico’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department, where she supports the state’s programs that serve young children and their families. Prior to that, she served as Director of Early Childhood Initiatives for Harris County, the largest county in Texas. She has also served as chief of programs and chief of staff for the Oregon Early Learning Division of the Oregon Department of Education and has worked for the Bainum Family Foundation, leading the policy strategy that resulted in the District of Columbia Birth-to-Three for All Act.
Casie Warner, Program Director for HYPER (Happy Youth Programs and Educational Resources), Seward Prevention Coalition
Casie Warner is a visionary leader from Seward. Starting with developing the Bloom home visiting program under Seward Prevention Coalition, she laid the foundation for transformative change. Warner advocated for local support to launch Happy Youth Programs and Educational Resources (HYPER) to strengthen the child care infrastructure and Seward workforce. Through her leadership, she not only built the HYPER program but also assumed the role of director, employing and supporting community members to create a robust child care infrastructure. Her efforts have fostered collaboration with the city and local governments for a stronger, more inclusive Seward.
11:15–11:35 am Lunch Break
Session 4: Partnering Together for a Stronger Future
Lori Capouch, Rural Development Director, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
Lori Capouch is a development professional who leads rural people through the grassroots development process, empowering them to create the businesses they desire in their communities. She is the rural development director for the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) located in Mandan, North Dakota. Among her current efforts are projects related to rural food access, nonprofit, community-owned and cooperative child care facilities, and collectively owned meat processing plants.
Kati Capozzi, President & CEO of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce
Kati Capozzi has served as the President and CEO of the Alaska Chamber since April 2019. Prior to her appointment at the Chamber, Capozzi served as the campaign manager for Stand for Alaska, the group that soundly defeated Ballot Measure 1 in 2018. Before leading the Stand for Alaska effort, Capozzi worked for five years as a communications and projects manager at the Resource Development Council. Her passion for advocacy work and promoting a healthy business environment in Alaska began in 2011 at the same organization she now leads, originally serving the Alaska Chamber as communications and events director.
Linda Smith, Director of Early Childhood Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center
Linda K. Smith is the Director of the Early Childhood Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington D.C.–based think tank that promotes bipartisanship and actively works to find consensus and common ground on key challenges facing the nation. Smith is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Early Childhood Development at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. In this role she oversaw policy priorities for children from birth to five years old, including the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Child Care. Smith has served as executive director for Child Care Aware of America, supporting community-based agencies concerned with the care of children in their earliest years. Prior to this, Smith served as a professional staffer on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee under the Chairmanship of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Prior to this work, she was the director of the Office of Family Policy for the Secretary of Defense, where she was one of the primary architects of the military’s child care program.
1 pm Close
2023 Sponsors
Superheroes
This project is made possible by funds from Preschool Development Grant Renewal – Birth through Five (PDG Renewal B-5) grant number 90TP0103.