New State and Country Offices Open in Alaska and Switzerland
Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc. (PATNC) established new state and country offices in Alaska and Switzerland. The University of Alaska Anchorage Child Welfare Academy and the Schweizer Dachverband Parents as Teachers – Mit Eltern Lernen have been selected as the official Parents as Teachers state and country offices, joining 25 other offices that collaborate with the National Center to provide essential support to the Parents as Teachers network.
Silvia Hengartner, Parents as Teachers Coordinator in Switzerland, makes her way on her scooter to a home visit in the snow.
These new offices will serve as pivotal leaders in their respective regions, offering vital resources, training, and implementation support for professionals and organizations involved in child development and education. The selection of the Alaska office is based on its demonstrated capacity and expertise in fulfilling the roles and responsibilities outlined for state offices, as defined by PATNC State Office Essential Responsibilities.
Similarly, Schweizer Dachverband Parents as Teachers – Mit Eltern Lernen was chosen for its instrumental role in shaping the identity of Parents as Teachers through research efforts and its proven support in implementation across the country. Parents as Teachers is grateful for the pivotal role the Alaska and Switzerland offices will play in advancing the mission and impact.
State and Country Officer Leadership
Alabama
Adrienne Jackson – Parents as Teachers State Leader
Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education
Alaska
Heather Foxworthy – Parents as Teachers State Leader
University of Alaska Anchorage Child Welfare Academy
Arkansas
Wanda Corney – Parents as Teachers State Manager
Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Inc.
Colorado
Marion Batayte – Deputy Director
Parent Possible
Michele Provost – Parents as Teachers Program Director
Parent Possible
Delaware
Amber D. Shelton, PhD – Delaware State Leader
Delaware Department of Education
Christine Stoops – Delaware State Leader
Delaware Department of Education, Office of Early Learning
Georgia
Jessica Gurnow – Georgia Parents as Teachers State Lead
University of Georgia/Georgia Parents as Teachers Network
Illinois
Ariel Chaidez – Parents as Teachers Illinois State Leader/Senior Program Manager
Start Early
Penny Smith – Early Childhood Principal Consultant
Illinois State Board of Education
Iowa
Alexius Aguiar – Early Childhood Technical Assistance Coordinator
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
Kansas
Lisa Williams–Parents as Teachers Consultant
Kansas Department of Education
Maine
Ivory Mills – Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator
Maine Families Home Visiting Program
Kobi Chase – Maine Families Systems Coordinator
Maine Families Home Visiting Program
Massachusetts
Kevin Boulay – Senior Home Visiting Implementation Specialist
Parents As Teachers State Office Lead
Michigan
Cynthia Zagar–Senior Professional Development and Training Coordinator
Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI)
Kim Harris – Model Specialist Coordinator
Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI)
New Jersey
(This office also covers the Northeast Hub: New York, Maryland, Vermont, Washington DC)
Eva Szmutko – Director of Home Visting
Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey Chapter, Inc
Nancy Oliveira – Home Visiting Manager
Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey Chapter, Inc
North Carolina
Patti Learman – Director, Parents as Teachers State Leader
North Carolina Parents as Teachers, Inc.
Oklahoma
Susan E. Gibson – Parents as Teachers Program Manager
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Pennsylvania
Karen Shanoski – Family Support and Community Engagement Director
Center for Schools and Communities/Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit
Rhode Island
Sidra Scharff – Implementation Specialist
The Office of Family Visiting, Rhode Island Department of Health
South Carolina
Gina Beebe – Director of Parenting Programs
Local Implementation Team, South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness
Delores Rock – Parents as Teachers State Co-Leader
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness
Texas
Persephone Starks – Texas Parents as Teachers State Manager
Parents as Teachers National Center
Virginia
Sheri Parcell – Parents as Teachers State Director
Families Forward Virginia
Washington
Cassie Morley – Senior Home Visiting Manager and Parents as Teachers State Leader
Start Early Washington
Gaby Rosario – Parents as Teachers Co–State Leader
Start Early Washington
West Virginia
Stephanie Vunderink-Steger – Home Visitation Coordinator
Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health
Wisconsin
Wendy Schwalbe – Home Visiting National Model Specialist
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare
International Offices
United Kingdom
Pam Holtom – National Development Office
Parents as First Teachers – UK
Switzerland
Silvia Hengartner – Parents as Teachers Coordinator
Daniela Piccoli – Co-Director
Switzerland – Schweizer Dachverband PAT – Mit Eltern Lernen
New State and Country Offices Open in Alaska and Switzerland
Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc. (PATNC) established new state and country offices in Alaska and Switzerland. The University of Alaska Anchorage Child Welfare Academy and the Schweizer Dachverband Parents as Teachers – Mit Eltern Lernen have been selected as the official Parents as Teachers state and country offices, joining 25 other offices that collaborate with the National Center to provide essential support to the Parents as Teachers network.
Silvia Hengartner, Parents as Teachers Coordinator in Switzerland, makes her way on her scooter to a home visit in the snow.
These new offices will serve as pivotal leaders in their respective regions, offering vital resources, training, and implementation support for professionals and organizations involved in child development and education. The selection of the Alaska office is based on its demonstrated capacity and expertise in fulfilling the roles and responsibilities outlined for state offices, as defined by PATNC State Office Essential Responsibilities.
Similarly, Schweizer Dachverband Parents as Teachers – Mit Eltern Lernen was chosen for its instrumental role in shaping the identity of Parents as Teachers through research efforts and its proven support in implementation across the country. Parents as Teachers is grateful for the pivotal role the Alaska and Switzerland offices will play in advancing the mission and impact.
State and Country Officer Leadership
Alabama
Adrienne Jackson – Parents as Teachers State Leader
Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education
Alaska
Heather Foxworthy – Parents as Teachers State Leader
University of Alaska Anchorage Child Welfare Academy
Arkansas
Wanda Corney – Parents as Teachers State Manager
Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Inc.
Colorado
Marion Batayte – Deputy Director
Parent Possible
Michele Provost – Parents as Teachers Program Director
Parent Possible
Delaware
Amber D. Shelton, PhD – Delaware State Leader
Delaware Department of Education
Christine Stoops – Delaware State Leader
Delaware Department of Education, Office of Early Learning
Georgia
Jessica Gurnow – Georgia Parents as Teachers State Lead
University of Georgia/Georgia Parents as Teachers Network
Illinois
Ariel Chaidez – Parents as Teachers Illinois State Leader/Senior Program Manager
Start Early
Penny Smith – Early Childhood Principal Consultant
Illinois State Board of Education
Iowa
Alexius Aguiar – Early Childhood Technical Assistance Coordinator
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
Kansas
Lisa Williams–Parents as Teachers Consultant
Kansas Department of Education
Maine
Ivory Mills – Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator
Maine Families Home Visiting Program
Kobi Chase – Maine Families Systems Coordinator
Maine Families Home Visiting Program
Massachusetts
Kevin Boulay – Senior Home Visiting Implementation Specialist
Parents As Teachers State Office Lead
Michigan
Cynthia Zagar–Senior Professional Development and Training Coordinator
Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI)
Kim Harris – Model Specialist Coordinator
Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI)
New Jersey
(This office also covers the Northeast Hub: New York, Maryland, Vermont, Washington DC)
Eva Szmutko – Director of Home Visting
Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey Chapter, Inc
Nancy Oliveira – Home Visiting Manager
Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey Chapter, Inc
North Carolina
Patti Learman – Director, Parents as Teachers State Leader
North Carolina Parents as Teachers, Inc.
Oklahoma
Susan E. Gibson – Parents as Teachers Program Manager
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Pennsylvania
Karen Shanoski – Family Support and Community Engagement Director
Center for Schools and Communities/Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit
Rhode Island
Sidra Scharff – Implementation Specialist
The Office of Family Visiting, Rhode Island Department of Health
South Carolina
Gina Beebe – Director of Parenting Programs
Local Implementation Team, South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness
Delores Rock – Parents as Teachers State Co-Leader
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness
Texas
Persephone Starks – Texas Parents as Teachers State Manager
Parents as Teachers National Center
Virginia
Sheri Parcell – Parents as Teachers State Director
Families Forward Virginia
Washington
Cassie Morley – Senior Home Visiting Manager and Parents as Teachers State Leader
Start Early Washington
Gaby Rosario – Parents as Teachers Co–State Leader
Start Early Washington
West Virginia
Stephanie Vunderink-Steger – Home Visitation Coordinator
Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health
Wisconsin
Wendy Schwalbe – Home Visiting National Model Specialist
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare
International Offices
United Kingdom
Pam Holtom – National Development Office
Parents as First Teachers – UK
Switzerland
Silvia Hengartner – Parents as Teachers Coordinator
Daniela Piccoli – Co-Director
Switzerland – Schweizer Dachverband PAT – Mit Eltern Lernen
