Parents as Teachers (PAT), the nation’s most replicated early childhood home visiting program headquartered in St. Louis, MO, announced today that it had appointed four new members to its board of directors. They are located throughout the United States and will serve three-year terms beginning July 1.
Joining the board is Frank London Gettridge, executive director, National Public Education Support Fund of New Orleans; Steven L. Harris, a partner in RubinBrown’s Assurance Services Group of St. Louis, MO; Patricia Lozano, executive director, Early Edge California; and Cassie Morley; Parents as Teachers State Leader for Washington State.
“We are pleased to welcome these dynamic individuals to our board, and we especially value the wealth of experience and passion they have for strengthening children and families,” said PAT President and CEO Constance Gully. “They join Parents as Teachers at a pivotal time as we continue to drive our strategy of deepening relationships with a wide range of professionals to fulfill our purpose of improving the well-being of families.”
Gully also said: “The addition of these directors enriches our current board of directors’ skills and experiences. We are confident they will provide valuable perspectives as we continue to build strong communities, and thriving families and children that are healthy, safe and ready to learn. We look forward to their contributions and are glad that they chose Parents as Teachers.”
The PAT board of directors sets the organization’s strategic planning and policies, and its members bring their personal and professional interests in ensuring the healthy development of young children and families at local, state, and national levels. PAT’s board regularly evaluates its composition to ensure it includes the appropriate skills, experience, and perspectives necessary to fulfill its mission.
“These new board members will be replacing some of the most highly-regarded community leaders that we have had the honor to work with,” said Gully.
About Frank London Gettridge
Frank London Gettridge
Frank London Gettridge has more than 25 years of experience in education as an early childhood, elementary, and high school teacher and administrator. Before joining the National Public Education Support Fund (NPESF) as its executive director, he served as a program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF).
In that capacity, Gettridge oversaw the integration of national program strategies, and managed a team in support of WKKF’s efforts to address issues of inequality—creating the conditions that help vulnerable children achieve. As an elementary school principal in the Chicago Public Schools system, he helped increase academic achievement, parent engagement, and school enrollment, while reducing discipline, suspension, and expulsion rates.
He holds a doctorate of Global Education, EdD., degree from the University of Southern California; a master’s degree in child development from the Erikson Institute in Chicago, IL, and a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA.
About Steven L. Harris
Steven L. Harris
Steven Harris serves as a partner in RubinBrown’s Assurance Services Group, serving clients in the not-for-profit, contractor, home-builder, entertainment, public sector, manufacturing, and distribution industries. He also leads the firm’s strategy to maximize the operations and performance of the entrepreneurial services group in the firm’s six offices throughout the country.
Harris has received RubinBrown’s Harvey Brown Founders and Community Service Awards, the National Association of Black Accountants’ (NABA) Rising Star Award, Diverse Business Leaders Award from the St. Louis Business Journal, and the first Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
He chairs the NABA’s and Regional Business Council’s Young Professional Network boards. The network promotes the personal and professional development of more than 4,200 ethnically diverse professionals under 45 years of age who work in the St. Louis region. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and an Executive Master of Business Administration from – Washington University; CPA, CGMA.
About Patricia Lozano
Patricia Lozano
Patricia Lozano is an early childhood education expert with extensive experience. She currently serves as the executive director of Early Edge California (EEC), a statewide early learning policy and advocacy nonprofit organization. Before joining EEC, she served as a senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and worked on their national early learning strategy.
Lozano began her career as a preschool teacher at a child development center, and she is passionate about supporting the needs of early childhood educators and improving the quality of education and care for young children. Among her many accomplishments, she spearheaded projects at UCLA’s Center for Improving Child Care Quality, First 5 LA, and the RAND Corporation. She was also involved in the selection and adaptation of child assessment measures for Dual Language Learners across various research studies.
Lozano holds a bachelor’s degree from Los Andes University in Colombia and a master’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in Child Development from California State University, San Bernardino.
About Cassie Morley
Cassie Morley
Cassie Morley is the Parents as Teachers State Leader for Washington State. She supports all Washington State PAT affiliates with regular coaching and consultation and trains PAT professionals. She is a key member of the Ounce of Prevention Fund Washington Home Visiting Hub, which supports the implementation of home visiting throughout the state.
Morley previously served as the program coordinator of the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency Healthy Families Project (SPIPA), a nonprofit consortium working to enhance the prosperity of Native American communities in and around Washington State.
She also worked with PAT’s Baby FACE (Family And Children Education) program at the Wa He Lut Indian School. FACE is a partnership between the federal Bureau of Indian Education, the National Center for Families Learning, and Parents as Teachers National Center. They aim to help elevate the living conditions of Native American tribes.
Throughout her career, she has served as a grant reviewer for the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Visiting (MIECHV) program and has volunteered with the Ttawaxt Birth Justice Center to promote sacred and quality care for pregnant and parenting Native families.
Morley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Puget Sound and is currently pursuing a level II Infant Mental Health Certificate. She is a member of the International Council of Parents as Teachers Leaders, became a PAT Parent Educator in 2003, and has worked to support families of children with disabilities and developmental delays.