Childcare Is A Workforce Issue
Thank you for attending our Iowa Solutions Summit with a focus on shattering the barrier to access to affordable, quality childcare. We hope you leave this conference with ideas to implement within your own community.
Here is all of the information you need for the day.
Schedule
Childcare Impact Report
Childcare in Iowa Today
Ryan Page
Ryan Page is the Director of Child Care with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Ryan has been with Iowa HHS for almost 18 years, 10 of which have been dedicated to the child care space. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Iowa State University, a Masters in Criminal Justice from St. Ambrose University, and a Masters in Public Administration from Drake University. Ryan completed the Afterschool Policy White-Riley-Peterson Fellowship through Furman University in 2021 and holds the Regulatory Administration Credential from the National Association of Regulatory Administration. This past summer, Ryan had the distinct pleasure of presenting to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance on Iowa’s utilization of the federal appropriation of the Child Care and Development Fund.
Childcare Solutions Funds Impact Report
The Childcare Solutions Fund pilot program launched in 2024. Ten communities, guided by their local needs, raised private dollars match 2:1 with public dollars to provide supportive financing to childcare workforce needs. These funds foster collaboration and stability for the childcare sector. Today, Common Sense Institute release its economic impact study on the success of these funds and maps a road forward to further this initiative.
Ben Murrey
Ben Murrey is Director of Policy and Research with the Common Sense Institute, where he leads research efforts to provide insightful, accurate, and actionable information about the impact of public policy on Iowa families, businesses, and communities. In addition to publishing regular research reports for CSI, Ben has been published in state and national outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Real Clear Policy, the Corridor Business Journal, the Denver Gazette, and others. Prior to joining CSI, Ben worked for a state-based think tank in Colorado and as a U.S. Senate aide for tax, budget, and economic policy.
Breakout Sessions (10:45am – 12:15pm)
Getting Started – Creating a Childcare Plan for your Community
Room: Salon 1
You know your community, businesses and families need a childcare solution. But where to begin? Walk through a “typical” process to start or expand a facility from quantifying the need, defining the program, business modeling, site selection, marketing, fundraising, staffing and sustainability.
Dan Levi
Managing partner of Levi Architecture, Dan Levi has been helping organizations, non-profits and municipalities explore community needs for childcare and advocating to the private sector the economic benefits to a robust childcare industry. Levi Architecture travels the entire state assisting community with all things childcare from designing buildings and playgrounds to restructuring existing centers' entire business plans and financial plans.
Mary Janssen
Mary has a BA in Elementary Education and a Master's Early Childhood Administration and Leadership. In her experience, Mary has been a child care teacher, Child Care Center Director, QRS Specialist for Iowa CCR&R and the past 11 years she has been the Regional Director for Child Care Resource and Referral of NE Iowa. Mary is also a Consultant with Levi Architecture, supporting communities with proformas, business plans and playground designs.
Advocacy for Increasing Access to Childcare
Room: Salon 2
Policy decisions are crucial to supporting the investments and innovations in childcare. Advocacy is educating policymakers on the effects of lack of affordable childcare on the workforce, economy and individual families. Iowa businesses and nonprofits have prioritized affordable, accessible childcare during recent legislative sessions and you’ll hear from three of the experts who do that work every year at the capitol.
Ryan Moon
Ryan Moon serves as the Director of Government Relations and Public Policy for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In this role, he leads engagement with local, state and federal officials and leads the Government Policy Council to develop and advocate for public policy that generates economic growth, business prosperity and talent development in Greater Des Moines. Ryan resides in West Des Moines with his wife Haley and their kids, Holden and Reggie.
Jillian Herink
Jillian Herink is the Executive Director of the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children (Iowa AEYC) and has served in this position since 2017. Prior to her position with Iowa AEYC, Jillian served as superintendent of the Meskwaki Settlement School in Iowa. Jillian holds a BA in Elementary Education from Buena Vista University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Viterbo University. Jillian has spent large part of her career advocating for students with unique learning needs including second language learners and students with disabilities and has worked primarily with underserved populations.
Dave Stone
Dave Stone currently serves as Advocacy Officer for United Way of Central Iowa. In this role, Stone focuses on government relations and advocacy in advancing the collective goals of United Way and its coalition partners.
Stone previously served as Associate Director of Bravo Greater Des Moines, a regional arts, culture and heritage organization in the region. As a community funder, Stone worked with over 60 organizations in the region to increase sustainability, strategic planning and support innovative collaborations.
Formerly Communications Manager for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland in Des Moines, Stone oversaw communications, strategy development and legislative advocacy for Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Prior to his work at Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Stone worked as the Director of Grassroots Development and Field Director for Iowans for Sensible Priorities, the federal budget campaign led by Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. Stone has also served as District Organizer for congressional candidate Paul Johnson and Field Volunteer Coordinator for presidential candidate Howard Dean.
Stone holds a Master of Public Administration from Drake University in Des Moines and a Bachelor of Political Science from Iowa State University in Ames. He was recognized as a Des Moines Business Record 40 Under 40 in 2021 and is a 2016 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute alum.
Originally from Chicago, Stone and his Australian Shepherd, Tycho are proud to call Des Moines home since 2007.
Starting a Solutions Fund in Your Community
Room: Salon 3
Solutions funds have been piloted across the state in the past year. These funds have raised private dollars, matched by public investment to support the most critical resource to childcare: its workforce. Learn from communities who have used this public/private resource to increase the availability of childcare. They’ll share successes, lessons learned and strategies to consider to replicate their progress.
Kristy Turner
Kristy Turner is the Executive Director of Postville Childcare Services Inc., a role she has held since 2021. A resident of Postville, IA, since 2015, Kristy brings both personal and professional insights into childcare, having been a longtime user of the center herself. She is a dedicated mother of four, with children ranging in age from six years to six months.
Kristy holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication. Her background in social work has equipped her with a strong foundation in community support and family services, which she now applies to her work at Postville Childcare. Her leadership focuses on fostering a nurturing, safe, and developmentally supportive environment for the community’s children.
Val Reinke
Val Reinke has served as the executive director of Allamakee County Economic Development since 2015. Val is a fan of Johnny Cash, vanilla lattes and fresh air.
Dave Lyons
David specializes in identifying challenges and opportunities facing public and non-profit entities and enterprises and implements research to outline options, develop strategies, design tools and implement support systems to respond. He specializes in issues requiring collaboration between the public and private sectors. Present areas of work include Economic Development, Urban Revitalization, Digital
Access, Childcare, Housing, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and Social Equity.
David serves on numerous public and private boards and manages innovation efforts for multiple public and non-profit sector clients. Prior executive positions include Director of the Iowa Department of
Economic Development, Insurance Commissioner for the State of Iowa, Legal Counsel with the Iowa Legislature, Chief Business Development Officer for the Iowa Farm Bureau, President of The Iowa
Institute and Chairman of CoOportunity Health.
David has served in cabinet level positions for both Democratic and Republican Administrations, has a law degree from the University of Iowa and an undergraduate background in political science and
economics.
Tara Roddick
Tara Roddick, Child Care Consultant Supervisor with Child Care Resource & Referral of Northeast Iowa (CCRR). Tara has been in the early childhood field for approximately 30 years and with CCRR for 23 years.
Kellie Gerdes
Kelli Gerdes has been with CG Public Health for 15 years and leads their population health division, charged with championing public-private collaborations throughout the community to advance public health and community well-being. She serves as the primary public health liaison and facilitator for the Child Care Works Collaborative in Cerro Gordo County.
Colleen Frein
Colleen Frein is the President & CEO of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce. Colleen is a native of Rochester, MN, completed undergraduate studies at St. Cloud State University, and holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from University of Iowa. Colleen received the designation of IOM from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Institute for Organization Management in 2019 and is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie program.
Colleen is a member of the Mason City Community Schools School Improvement Advisory Committee and Youth Task Force Executive Committee. She served on the Governor’s Child Care Task Force and was a past member of Charlie Brown Preschool & Child Care Board of Directors.
Linda Bigley
Linda Bigley is retired after 33 years with Iowa State University Extension where she served as a Families Specialist and Director in the Linn County Office. In retirement she has stayed involved with projects that strengthen families and today she is representing the Mount Vernon/Lisbon Child Care Solutions Team.
Cindy Im
Cindy Im is the Economic Development Director for Hamilton County, IA. I have a master in Business Administration from Kaplan University and am a Iowa Certified Public Manager through Drake University. I have over 10+ years in management and leadership roles both in the public and private sector. I have 4 kids with my oldest attending ISU this year. In my free time, I love to binge watch K dramas, C dramas, and Thai dramas to relax and unwine.
Laurie Nash
Laurie is the Youth & Family Services Manager at Johnson County Social Services. She has experience working as a member of interdisciplinary teams in early care and education, pediatric health, and community mental health for children age 0-6 as well as managing several state and local grants.
Cady Gerlach
Cady Gerlach is the Executive Director of Better Together 2030 and Sr. Director of Community Development for Greater Iowa City, Inc.. She moved to Iowa City in 2013 to join the firm of Meardon, Sueppel, & Downer PLC and practiced in nonprofit corporations, municipal law, and trust and estate litigation for five years before joining the Shelter House staff as the Director of Strategic Operations and Resource management, overseeing the agency’s federal and state grant compliance, financial systems and controls, annual federal single audit, real estate, and risk management. Originally from Greeley, Colorado Cady has her JD and MPA from Syracuse University and a BA from Ripon College and is licensed to practice law in Iowa. After living many places, Cady, Peter, Leo, and Max have chosen to make Iowa City their home and enjoy all of the things that make the region so special. Cady is a member of the Johnson County Childcare Coalition and her responsibilities include helping administer the local Childcare Solutions fund.
Keynote
Susan Gale Perry
As CEO of Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), Susan Gale Perry is a nationally recognized leader in early childhood and human services. She is skilled at creating vision and strategy alongside her partners; building strong and connected teams; advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; increasing stakeholder collaboration; securing greater public and policymaker support; and raising funds to improve outcomes for children and families.
She has held leadership roles in both public and nonprofit early childhood sectors, including Chief Deputy Secretary of Opportunity and Well-being for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). Here she oversaw 15 divisions and led the creation of a Governor-directed Early Childhood Action Plan, galvanizing support for measurable progress in early childhood health, learning and well-being. Susan also managed multiple aspects of the state’s COVID-19 response at that time, including developing strategy and building capacity to successfully support the state’s childcare infrastructure and workforce.
Susan’s greatest passion is uplifting the voices, inspirations, power and accomplishments of the diverse and remarkable professionals working across public and private early childhood settings to help every child grow healthy, resilient and independent in safe and nurturing families, child care programs and schools, and communities.
Legislative Panel
Legislative policy is a key piece of the expansion of childcare availability, quality and affordability. Policymakers govern access to Child Care Assistance (CCA) for low-income families, tax and employment policy for childcare businesses, and budgeted investments for public/private partnerships among other things. Seasoned political reporter Dave Price will moderate a bi-partisan panel to discuss recent and future legislative activity affecting childcare.
Dave Price (Moderator)
Dave Price is a longtime television journalist and an Iowa resident by choice for the past two decades. He grew up in Belleville, Illinois, just east of St. Louis.
Dave is the Iowa political director and analyst for Gray Television's 10 stations that broadcast in Iowa. He is also the editor for American Farmland Owner. And he writes "Dave Price's Perspectives," a weekly column on the Substack platform as part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
He lives in Urbandale with his wife Emily, son Hayden, daughter Lyla and energetic Border Collie Hattie.
Rep. Devon Wood (R)
Rep. Tracy Ehlert (D)
Sen. Janice Weiner (D)
Business Panel
Businesses across Iowa have designed innovative childcare solutions to meet the needs of their workforce. These range from investments in infrastructure, to subsidizing employee’s childcare costs, creation of flexibility in schedule and location, and support of work/life balance for parents. Solutions range from significant financial investment to creativity with few resources. Hear from three organizational leaders who have managed to navigate employee need with business priorities to make everyone winners.
Renee Hansen - Sukup
Renee is the External Relations Manager at Sukup Manufacturing Co. She promotes, markets and represents the company in the Ames/Des Moines metro while working closely with ISU and other industry associations, as well as government affairs.
She brings twenty years of strategic marketing, event planning, digital media, communications, public relations and graphic design experience to the job. Hansen has worked in numerous industries from ad agency to non-profit and most recently agriculture distribution and precision agriculture. She is a graduate of Iowa State University earning a B.F.A degree from the College of Design.
Her experience brings a holistic approach to the entities she serves. Renee lives in Ames, IA with her husband Josh and three kids.
Beth Shelton - Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa
Beth Shelton is the Chief Executive Office of Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, overseeing all operations for 13,000 members in portions of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Beth has reached millions of people on topics ranging from workplace transformation to mental wellbeing to sobriety and has been highlighted on platforms ranging from Good Morning America, and Working Mother Magazine, to USA Today and the Today Show.
Beth uses solution-focused leadership to encourage radical innovation. She received her BA from Simpson College and MBA from Drake University, and has been named an alumni of achievement from both, while recently completing the Artificial Intelligence certificate program at MIT.
Beth, a life-long amputee, embraces a spirit of empowering others, having served various causes and boards.
She has a lifelong love of sports, having been a 3-time collegiate MVP in tennis. She loves driving her vintage Jeep with the top off, just took up guitar lessons, and is enjoying the journey of visiting every
national park.
Beth Danowsky - Musco
Beth Danowsky is the Community Development Manager at Musco Lighting and is responsible for working with partners on projects that improve the sustainability of the community. She is President-elect of the Mahaska Community Development Group, Chair of the Business Development Committee and a Trustee on the Indian Hills Community College Board. She has been a member of the Mahaska Y and Kids Corner board since 2006.
Prior to joining Musco in 2005, she was Director of the Iowa Rural Development Council, a roundtable partnership of 70 local, state and federal organizations with resources for rural communities. The Council’s focus was to improve coordination and delivery of technical and financial services to Iowa communities.
She served as Director of the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission and Iowa Department of Economic Development Satellite Center, administering grant writing, planning, transportation, flood recovery and Buy Iowa programs.
Childcare in Iowa Today
Childcare Solutions Funds Impact Report
The Childcare Solutions Fund pilot program launched in 2024. Ten communities, guided by their local needs, raised private dollars match 2:1 with public dollars to provide supportive financing to childcare workforce needs. These funds foster collaboration and stability for the childcare sector. Today, Common Sense Institute release its economic impact study on the success of these funds and maps a road forward to further this initiative.
Breakout Sessions (10:45am – 12:15pm)
Room: Salon 1
You know your community, businesses and families need a childcare solution. But where to begin? Walk through a “typical” process to start or expand a facility from quantifying the need, defining the program, business modeling, site selection, marketing, fundraising, staffing and sustainability.
Room: Salon 2
Policy decisions are crucial to supporting the investments and innovations in childcare. Advocacy is educating policymakers on the effects of lack of affordable childcare on the workforce, economy and individual families. Iowa businesses and nonprofits have prioritized affordable, accessible childcare during recent legislative sessions and you’ll hear from three of the experts who do that work every year at the capitol.
Legislative Panel
Legislative policy is a key piece of the expansion of childcare availability, quality and affordability. Policymakers govern access to Child Care Assistance (CCA) for low-income families, tax and employment policy for childcare businesses, and budgeted investments for public/private partnerships among other things. Seasoned political reporter Dave Price will moderate a bi-partisan panel to discuss recent and future legislative activity affecting childcare.
Business Panel
Businesses across Iowa have designed innovative childcare solutions to meet the needs of their workforce. These range from investments in infrastructure, to subsidizing employee’s childcare costs, creation of flexibility in schedule and location, and support of work/life balance for parents. Solutions range from significant financial investment to creativity with few resources. Hear from three organizational leaders who have managed to navigate employee need with business priorities to make everyone winners.
Acronyms
BASP: Before and After School Program
CCR&R: Childcare Resource and Referral
ECE: Early Childhood Education
ECI: Early Childhood Iowa
ECSE: Early Childhood Special Education
EDC: Economic Development Commission
HHS: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
IAEYC: Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children
IEDA: Iowa Economic Development Authority
IQ4K: Iowa Quality for Kids. Iowa’s quality rating and improvement system for licensed and registered providers.
Licensed: Center-based childcare program
Ratio: Number of staff to children in each classroom
Registered: Home-based childcare program
Slot: A space for a child in their current age classroom at a childcare facility
T.E.A.C.H: Early Childhood Iowa Scholarship Program
WAGE$: A comprehensive workforce initiative designed to address education, retention, and compensation for early care and education providers working with children ages birth to five.
WEP: Wage Enhancement Program
Sponsors
Today we want to acknowledge the support of our 2024 Summit sponsors.
Presenting Sponsor:
Keynote Sponsor:
Visionary Sponsor:
Leader Sponsor:
Ally Sponsor:
Delta Dental of Iowa
New Horizons Academy
Prairie Meadows
Evaluation Form
We appreciate the time you spent with us today and would like to hear your thoughts as to how the summit went and what we could do to improve it for next year. Please fill out our five minute survey.
Childcare Toolkit and Surveys Request
Iowa Business and Childcare Coalition created a tooklit to help address how childcare affects workforce participation. This toolkit includes detailed information on how to implement one or more six solutions:
- Backup Childcare Options
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Flexible Work Arrangements
- Off-site/Nearby Partnerships
- On-site Childcare
- Subsidized Childcare
IWF has developed surveys to help gauge employee interest in types of childcare assistance and the impact it has on attraction and retention. These include:
- Survey on childcare impact for employees
- Survey on childcare needs for employers
- Survey on childcare for businesses
- Partnership examples
Donate to IWF
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