Richmond, VA – Christina O’Leary has been recognized as a Parent Educator of the Year by Parents as Teachers National Center for her work supporting families in achieving education and employment.
A bilingual family support specialist with Family Lifeline, O’Leary leverages a strong network of community partnerships to resource the families she serves. When families face potentially challenging systems, O’Leary’s guidance builds capacity while promoting forward movement in the moment.
With O’Leary’s support, families have connected to jobs 26 times in her four-year career as a home visitor, and six families have returned to or enrolled in school.
“Christina’s most profound impact lies in her encouragement of families to pursue education and employment opportunities,” wrote program supervisor Flor Martinez in the application for the award. “She consistently motivates caregivers to return to school, complete certifications, or seek employment as a pathway to long-term family stability.”
Parents as Teachers National Center is the most widely implemented evidence-based early childhood home visiting model in the US. Parent educators support caregivers as their child’s first and best teacher through personalized coaching and goal setting, developmental insights and health screenings, connections to local resources, and community engagement.
Educators from across the globe are nominated by their colleagues or supervisors, with applications evaluated by a team at Parents as Teachers National Center. The award emphasizes cultural competency, leadership, community impact, and professional development, highlighting the importance of effective guidance and measurable outcomes in partnership with the families they serve.
“I am most proud to have formed long term partnership with my clients and earned their trust,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary will receive the award alongside two other parent educators at the 2026 Parents as Teachers International Conference in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, October 5, 2026. The largest conference dedicated to early childhood home visitors in the US, it will bring together over 2,500 professionals and leaders in child development and family support for four days of professional development and networking.
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers creates strong communities, thriving families, and children who are healthy, safe, and learning by matching parents and caregivers with trained professionals for regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years, from pregnancy through kindergarten. With over 188,000 families served in all 50 U.S. states, 127 Tribal organizations, and six other countries, the Parents as Teachers evidence-based home visiting model is backed by over 40 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. Annually, Parents as Teachers National Center supports over 10,000 professionals and partners with more than 2,000 organizations, including school systems, social service nonprofits, health departments, tribal organizations, and military installations.