Leadership
How We Lead
The National Workforce Registry Alliance (NWRA) operates through a distributed leadership model that reflects the field it serves. Our work is guided by a small national staffing team and strengthened by a network of state leaders, registry experts, and advisors who bring on-the-ground experience from across the country.
This structure ensures that our priorities, standards, and decisions are informed by real-world implementation rather than theory. It also allows NWRA to remain responsive to evolving workforce needs in early childhood systems nationwide.
Executive Leadership
Executive Director
Kimberlee Belcher, PhD
Executive Director, NWRA
Provides strategic leadership for the organization, oversees national partnerships, and guides the development of policies and standards that support workforce registries across states.
NWRA’s leadership and staffing team blends national strategy, field-driven partnerships, and technical expertise to deliver responsive, state-informed workforce solutions.
Our Staffing Team:
Membership Coordinator & TA Specialist
Part-Time Engagement (PTE) Opportunities
Recognition Programs Technical Assistance for Recognition Programs
Part-Time Engagement (PTE) Opportunities
Governing Board
The goal of the National Workforce Registry Alliance is to be the central hub of data collection and dissemination used to inform and strengthen the Early Care and Education Early Childhood and After-school Workforce through collaboration with state workforce registry systems and national partners.
Registry Advisors and vested workforce allies strengthen our organizational outputs by volunteering on our Board of Advisors.
Board of Directors
The NWRA Board of Directors is composed of leaders from state registries and partner organizations who provide governance, strategic direction, and field-based expertise. Board members ensure that NWRA’s work reflects the needs and realities of states implementing workforce registry systems.
Officers
President
Jené Chapman, Early Childhood Program Specialist, NDE. (NE)
Nebraska Office of Early Childhood Training Center
President-Elect
Joellyn Whitehead, Senior Director of Data & Research, INCCRA (IL)
Treasurer
Becky Millard, Director Northern Lights (VT)
Community College of Vermont
Secretary
Katari Coleman, PhD, Co-Lead for National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) (FL)
Education Development Center
Regional Representatives
Regional representatives bring perspectives from across the country to ensure geographic diversity and alignment with state-level implementation.
Members-at-Large
Members-at-Large contribute subject matter expertise and support key initiatives across the organization.
Our Leadership
President
Jené Chapman
Early Childhood Program Specialist, NDE.
Nebraska Office of Early Childhood Training Center
President-Elect
Joellyn Whitehead, Senior Director of Data & Research, INCCRA (IL)
Treasurer
Becky Millard
Director
Northern Lights
Community College of Vermont
Secretary
Dr. Katari Coleman (IL)
Co-Lead
National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE)
Education Development Center
Region 1: Board Representative
Emily Constantian (ME)
Data Evaluation Manager
Maine Roads to Quality Registry
Region 2: Board Representative
Olivia Lasala (NY)
Director, The Aspire Registry
Region 3: Board Representative
Dr. Kathryn Kigera (DC)
Director of Quality Initiatives, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Region 4: Board Representative
Dr. Becky Johnson (TN)
Registry User Experience Manager,
University of Tennessee - Social Work Office of Research & Public Service
Region 5: Board Representative
Get involved! Do you work for a registry in Region 5 and you would like to serve in this voluntary capacity? We're look forward to hearing from you.
Region 6: Board Representative
Dr. Tracy Anne Jones (TX)
Director,
Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System
University of Texas Houston
Region 7: Board Representative
Erin Clancy (IA)
Child Care Program Manager,
Division of Family Well-Being and Protection, Child Care Bureau
Region 8: Board Representative
Carrie Stott (UT) Registry Program Administrator, Utah State University
Region 9: Board Representative
Carol Wear (HI)
Executive Director, PATCH Hawaii
Region 10: Board Representative
Cassie Hulse (OR)
Director, Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education
Ex-Officio Member
Sherry Cleary (NY)
Member-At-Large
Jim Murphy– (D.C.)
Executive Director/CEO, National Association of Regulatory Administration (NARA)
Standards & Data Committee Co-Chair
Amy Yagil (PA)
Data Systems Supervisor Pennsylvania Key at Pennsylvania Key
Standards & Data Committee Co-Chair
Get involved! Do you work for a registry or with workforce data and you would like to serve in this voluntary capacity? We're look forward to hearing from you.
Workforce Perspective Committee Co-Chair
Get involved! Do you work for a registry or with the early learning workforce and you would like to serve in this voluntary capacity? We're look forward to hearing from you.
Workforce Perspectives Committee Co-Chair
Get involved! Do you work for a registry or with the early learning workforce and you would like to serve in this voluntary capacity? We're look forward to hearing from you.
Workforce Professional Development Committee Co-Chair
Tinnycua Williams, ASPIRE Registry (NY)
Workforce Professional Development Committee Co-Chair
Dr. Cheryl Varghese (TX)
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Health Center at Houston (UTHealth)
Committees
NWRA’s committees extend the organization’s capacity by engaging leaders from across the field to focus on priority areas. Committees play a critical role in shaping resources, standards, and strategies.
Executive Committee
Provides oversight between full board meetings and supports organizational governance. Meets weekly to discuss strategic direction, partnerships, and mission-related items.
Belonging & Workforce Engagement Committee
Leads recruitment, engagement, and retention of NWRA members, ensuring strong representation across states.
Professional Development Committee
Guides the development of tools, resources, and supports for states to strengthen alignment and standards for training and trainer approval systems in workforce registries.
Data Quality & Policy Standards Committee
Advances the use of data to inform policy, improve systems, and demonstrate impact.
Get Involved
NWRA is a member-driven organization, and leadership opportunities are open to professionals across the field.
We are currently seeking:
- Board members representing underserved regions
- Committee participants with expertise in data, workforce policy, and professional development
If you are interested in contributing to national efforts to strengthen early childhood workforce systems, we invite you to connect with us.
Contact: Director@registryalliance.org
Why Our Leadership Model Matters
Early childhood workforce systems are complex, state-driven, and constantly evolving. NWRA’s leadership model ensures that:
- Decisions are informed by practitioners and system leaders
- Strategies reflect diverse state contexts
- National efforts remain grounded in implementation realities
This approach allows NWRA to serve as a trusted partner to states, policymakers, and organizations working to strengthen the early childhood workforce.
