Announcing ECCLA’s Interim Director

On behalf of the Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) Board of Directors, we are excited to announce Heather Hanna will be stepping in as Interim Director, beginning August 6, 2020, following the resignation of Amy Payton, Executive Director.  We are saddened than Amy is having to leave us after such a short tenure to support her family as the impacts of COVID-19 continue to change the way we conduct everyday life.  We are excited, however, to have Heather who can step in during this transition and continue to bring her knowledge and support to this new role.

Heather joined ECCLA in 2017 as Director of Membership and Communication. Today, she serves as Deputy Director and provides leadership for communications, membership, partnerships, and programming. As Deputy Director, she has worked in partnership with the Executive Director to support a variety of functions related to ECCLA’s work with Councils, partners, foundations, policymakers, government agencies, and other stakeholders.

Before joining ECCLA, Heather served as Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects Manager with First 5 Ventura County, one of California’s 58 early childhood county commissions. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Central Florida and has earned certificates in Nonprofit Management and Emergency Management.

A transition plan is already in motion and we are working closely with Amy during this time to make sure that we can make this as smooth a transition as possible. We are grateful that Heather has agreed to serve in this capacity as we eagerly search for the organization’s next Executive Director.

Now more than ever, Colorado’s 34 Early Childhood Councils are critical in local communities across our state. We are committed to finding an Executive Director that will work to advance the mission of ECCLA to improve the quality, capacity, and equity of services and supports for Colorado’s young children and their families through a statewide network of Early Childhood Councils and key stakeholders.

If you are interested in applying for the position, please find the job announcement posted here. For questions regarding the position, please contact me at rmecc@mtnvalley.org.

Stacy Petty

ECCLA Board President and Director, Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council