JAESHA QUARRELS
Transforming Child Care Through Policy, Data, and Equity | Director of CCDF Services | Early Childhood Systems Builder| Head Start/Early Head Start Expert
Edmond,OK
Summary
Transformational Statewide Enterprise Executive skilled in managing complex federally funded human services systems serving over 100,000 children and families. Oversaw portfolios exceeding $270 million and led a team of over 200, ensuring compliance with legislative mandates. Spearheaded enterprise turnaround initiatives, navigating political landscapes to implement reforms that enhance fiscal integrity and operational efficiency.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
Work History
Data Coach & Head Start Consultant
EARLY INTEL
01.2024 - 12.2024
- Designed scalable data governance frameworks enabling executive visibility into enrollment trends, fiscal utilization rates, and compliance benchmarks.
- Delivered executive briefings that translated complex datasets into actionable strategies and operational adjustments for board-level decision-making.
- Engaged with executive leadership teams to enhance enterprise governance and federal compliance effectiveness.
- Strengthened internal monitoring systems and developed corrective action protocols to ensure readiness for federal Focus Area reviews.
- Collaborated with National Education Technology Organization to enhance educational resources.
Monitoring Support Lead
Office of Head Start-DLH CORPORATION
01.2021 - 12.2024
- Led federal oversight engagements evaluating governance integrity, fiscal stewardship, and operational performance of programs managing up to $100M.
- Directed enterprise-level compliance reviews informing federal funding decisions and mandated corrective action planning.
- Synthesized governance, financial, and operational data into formal federal findings that informed decisions of national leadership and governing bodies.
- Achieved 100% on-time federal reporting compliance across multi-site review cycles.
- Strengthened accountability alignment among federal officials, governing boards, and executive leadership teams to enhance program oversight.
- Federal Office of Head Start Contract
Director of Child Care Services
OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Oklahoma City
11.2024 - Current
- Appointed to lead Oklahoma's statewide child care system amid post-pandemic fiscal volatility, elevated public scrutiny, and long-term funding sustainability risk.
- Eliminated a structural deficit exposure by instituting disciplined fiscal governance, recalibrating expenditure controls, and redesigning subsidy projection methodology to stabilize long-term funding reliability.
- Oversaw $270M public investment portfolio and managed 200+ staff across licensing, subsidy, quality, compliance, and workforce divisions, enhancing services for 100,000 children and families statewide.
- Developed and implemented performance management infrastructure with executive dashboards, standardized reporting, KPI tracking, and risk escalation protocols for legislative hearings and board oversight.
- Modernized operational systems through automation and workflow redesign, strengthening accountability controls, improving processing reliability, and increasing executive visibility into performance indicators.
- Facilitated alignment between policy design, fiscal planning, and service delivery to enhance provider stability and ensure statewide access.
- Navigated politically sensitive funding and regulatory reforms while maintaining stakeholder confidence and system continuity.
Assistant Director of Operations & Professional Development
Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Edu.
01.2017 - 12.2020
- Provided executive oversight of $250M+ statewide portfolio; deployed additional $200M emergency stabilization funding during COVID response.
- Strategically deployed $200M stabilization funding to reopen 1,000+ providers, preserving access for essential workers and vulnerable families during crisis conditions.
- Directed statewide subsidy and workforce systems to maintain fiscal integrity, ensure regulatory compliance, and deliver uninterrupted services.
- Led cross-agency reform initiatives to enhance safe sleep compliance, integrate trauma-informed systems, and stabilize workforce under high-visibility conditions.
- Developed executive reporting architecture utilized in legislative budget hearings and strategic funding allocation.
Education
Master of Science - Early Childhood Services
Arkansas State University
ArkansasArkansas
Bachelor of Science - Interdisciplinary Studies
Arkansas State University
ArkansasArkansas
Skills
- Public investment strategies
- Federal compliance expertise
- Legislative affairs and rulemaking
- Policy council authority
- Risk governance and management
- Workforce strategy development
- Strategic planning
- Organizational restructuring
- Digital modernization initiatives
- Performance architecture design
- Cross-agency leadership
Early Career Foundation
- Federal Head Start Reviewer Consultant - Danya International
- Center Director - Arkansas Early Learning
- Child Protective Services Specialist - State of Arkansas
References
Available upon request
Executive Competencies
- Enterprise Risk Governance
- Public Investment & Fiscal Recovery
- Legislative Affairs & Rulemaking
- Board & Policy Council Authority
- Federal Compliance (CCDF, Head Start Act, Human Services)
- Organizational Restructuring
- Workforce & Access Strategy
- Digital & Operational Modernization
- Performance Architecture
- Political & Cross-Agency Leadership
Professional Development
- Executive Leadership & Organizational Behavior Certifications
- DEI Ally & Agent for Change
- Establishing a Learning Culture
Certification
DEI Ally & Agent for Change
Timeline
Director of Child Care Services
OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
11.2024 - Current
Data Coach & Head Start Consultant
EARLY INTEL
01.2024 - 12.2024
Monitoring Support Lead
Office of Head Start-DLH CORPORATION
01.2021 - 12.2024
Assistant Director of Operations & Professional Development
Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Edu.
01.2017 - 12.2020
Master of Science - Early Childhood Services
Arkansas State University
Bachelor of Science - Interdisciplinary Studies
Arkansas State University