Children First VP of Programs Named to National Head Start Association Region IV Board

January 20, 2023 – Sarasota

Kathleen Sullivan, MACD, the Vice President of Programs at Children First, has been elected to serve on the National Head Start Association’s (NHSA) Region IV Board of Directors. In her role, Ms. Sullivan will help to oversee Head Start’s Region IV, the southeastern United States, representing more than 170,000 children, 40,000 staff and 300 member programs.

Representatives of the Region IV Head Start Association (RIVHSA) Board of Directors are elected for a term of two years but no more than four consecutive terms. Members are comprised of two directors, two staff, two parents, and two friends elected by their respective membership groups within the Association. 

As Vice President of Programs at Children First, Ms. Sullivan oversees the Head Start and Early Head Start Education programs at multiple locations across North Port, Sarasota, and Venice, which provide high-quality early childhood education to hundreds of children, ages birth to five, and their families each year.

With more than 30 years of experience in the Early Childhood Education field, her focus is on educational practices that emphasize interpersonal relationships, cultural diversity, child-centered curriculum and the inclusion of children with diverse needs in all educational programs.

Ms. Sullivan holds a master’s degree in childhood development from Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in Hispanic studies from the University of Southern Maine. Ms. Sullivan is also the author of three works on early childhood education and development and is a speaker at the local, state, and national level on child development. 

In addition to her new role on the RIVHSA Board of Directors, Ms. Sullivan is a UCLA Anderson School of Management Head Start Fellow and has served on the Florida Office of Early Learning Racial Equity Task Force and Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County Board of Directors.

“I feel deeply fortunate to be a part of such a dynamic organization, leading alongside a diverse and experienced board of directors with a passion and dedication to RIVHSA’s mission. Together, we strive to model an exceptional board-staff partnership and provide strategic leadership to advance the association as a whole,” says Ms. Sullivan.