TAMARA KAY BROWN
South Pasadena,CA
Summary
Accomplished Executive Director recognized for leveraging strong team leadership and development to drive forward progress. Highly organized, detail-oriented leader skilled in directing high-performing teams to develop solutions and solve operational and technical problems. Success implementing systems across multiple operations with superior organizational and communication skills.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
The Sunshine Shack Preschool
Hollywood, CA
03.2021 - Current
- Manage all operations of an established Reggio Inspired Preschool, licensed for 40 children
- Teach when needed in all rooms
- Children range in age from 2-6
- Collaborate effectively with the community that includes parents, teachers, and children
- Connected with Licensing Analyst, City of Los Angeles personnel, including council offices, and mayors office
- School will be closing, assisting with transition
PodSkool Teacher
Wiggle and Work
01.2011 - 03.2021
- Responsible for planning all developmentally appropriate play-based STEAM Integrated curriculum for three children
- Responsible for creating a Covid-19 free zone by monitoring temperatures, and conducting health checks throughout a three hour day
- Responsible for creating activities that are challenging enough for one four-year-old child while keeping it safe, and creative for toddlers.
Executive Director-Promoted
Mt Washington Preschool and Child Care Center, Inc
04.2016 - 10.2020
- Oversaw three child development centers including Joy Picus Child Development Center, Harry Pregerson Child Care Center, and La Casita Verde Child Development Center
- Responsible for maintaining and keeping in compliance with contracts for which centers must abide by.
- Accredited and re-accredited centers through NAEYC
- Responsible for accomplishment of MWPCCC's mission and vision, and accountability to MWPCCC's diverse constituents and funding sources
- Worked closely with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy
- Working partnership with Board responsible for fundraising and developing other resources necessary to support MWPCCC's mission
- Promoted programs and services that are produced cost-effective manner, while ensuring an appropriate level of quality
- Helped Board design, implement and monitor viable fundraising plan, policies, and procedures
- Responsible for effective administration of MWPCCC's operations, assuring a work environment that recruits, retains and supports quality staff
- Assured filing of all legal and regulatory documents and monitors compliance with relevant laws and regulations
- Hold regular and frequent meetings with Center Directors to direct and assist them with developing appropriate curriculums for their Centers, as well as oversee their management of their Centers
- Used Excel, and QuickBooks-Non-Profit Desktop to complete all day to day operations, A/R, A/P, Payroll, monthly financials in absence of Financial Manager
- Oversaw annual corporate audit by corporation's CPA firm
- Oversaw Finance Manager in all phases of cash flow management and preparation of financial statements
- Responsible for Data analysis
- Responsible for changing policies in regard to increasing educational reimbursement so more employees could get their BA or higher degrees in Child Development
- Responsible for all Human Resources
- Model positive behavior, attitude and language for Center Directors
- Led Staff Development Training Days for all staff at least twice a year
- Created strong interactive environment and developed team spirit among Center Directors to facilitate their exchange of ideas, practices, and procedures
- Acquire, review and maintain all business and employee insurances necessary
- Worked closely with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy
- Negotiated new annual contracts and service agreements with vendors to achieve prime pricing
- Supervised writing of all grant applications and checked information for accuracy prior to submission
- Fostered work culture of collaboration and inclusion to increase morale and reduce turnover
- Maintained P&L and shouldered corporate fiscal responsibility
- Facilitated over $2.5 million in annual business for four + years
Center Director at Joy Picus Child Development Cen
Mt Washington Preschool And Child Care Center, Inc
Los Angeles
12.2010 - 04.2016
- Responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations of a fully licensed infant to preschool facility
- Increased family enrollment by 80% in a short time span, as a result of marketing, speaking engagements and communication
- Managed hiring, training and evaluation of 22 teachers
- Taught teachers how to develop curriculum using Emergent Curriculum and Anti-Bias Curriculum
- Coordinated all phases of a stringent accreditation process issued by (NAEYC) National Association for the Education of Young Children
- Accredited Joy Picus Child Development Center with very high scores
- Trained teachers on Desired Results Developmental Profile (IT and PS), and DRDP
- Trained teachers on use of Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS), and Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS)
- Partnered with National University Nursing Department, where students observed, and head of nursing dept, became Center's health consultant.
- Worked with all offices in City of Los Angeles to better the quality of child development center.
Field Analyst
Berkeley Policy Associates
12.2008 - 12.2009
- Responsible for scheduling observations at infant-toddler centers in southern California and Arizona, including Cal-Safe schools and child care centers
- Responsible for data collections using Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS) and Program Assessment rating Scale (PARS)
- Observe program, conduct interview with relevant program staff, and complete program rating sheets and observation notes
- Submission of observation booklet and electronic rating form to BPA
- Inter-Rater Reliability score of 92%
- Participate in teleconferences with BPA project staff as needed
Facilities Assistant
Opportunities, Learning-EMS
La Canada, CA
10.2008 - 12.2009
- Problem-solve maintenance requests
- Research vendors to provide cost-effective high-quality maintenance
- General support of facilities department and corporate office
- Organize all files for facilities department
- Audited files, and found fraud which led to dismissal of Facilities Director
Director of Child Care
Burbank Community YMCA
Burbank, CA
12.2005 - 02.2008
- Directed daily operations of preschool, school-age childcare and summer camp programs
- Researched, developed and implemented new readiness learning activities to enhance curriculum
- Educated staff on implementation of play-based learning and socialization techniques
- Met with parents to provide individual consultation on available programs and options
- Managed hiring, training and supervision and evaluation of 35 preschool teachers, counselors and administrators
- Collaborated with Senior Program Director on a comprehensive child abuse prevention manual
- Controlled annual program budget of $1.2M, payroll expenses, and purchasing decisions
- Increased student enrollment rate by 85% as a result of marketing initiatives and referrals
- Actively participated in YMCA Risk and Safety Management Committee, YMCA Child Care Committee, and Burbank City Council Child Care Committee.
Independent Parenting Consultant
Los Angeles, CA
02.2003 - 12.2005
- Established, grew and managed a field caseload of 12 families seeking parenting education
- Conducted home visitations to observe parent-child interaction and day/night routines
- Developed and implemented schedule plans to correct sleep patterns and modify behaviors
- Educated preschool teachers and directors on effective classroom management strategies
- Prepared individualized progress reports on each child's growth and development
- Worked with parents of newborns
- Assisted with lactation
- Helped parents get adjusted to new life with baby.
Assistant Director
Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale Employers Children's Center
Glendale, CA
09.1997 - 02.2002
- Managed accounting, purchasing and financial reporting functions
- Supervised, developed and scheduled a staff of 15 teachers
- Interfaced extensively with parents to discuss childcare services and learning programs
- Served as education advocate and liaison between hospital and community members
- Worked with parents and children on day-to-day manner
- Collaborated with Executive Director on several Center improvement projects
- Trained and mentored assistant directors and teachers, achieving 100% enrollment rate
- Promoted to Interim Director
- Assisted Executive Director in securing new business to support organization
- Planned and coordinated holiday shows, staff dinners, parent events, and fundraiser nights
- Trained, supervised and evaluated staff of 14 preschool, toddler and infant teachers
- Coordinated staff schedules and maintained mandatory child records, including immunization reports, emergency information and health records
- Managed accounting, purchasing and monthly expense reporting activities
- Served as liaison between hospital and staff members and improved enrollment levels
- Worked with Board of Directors, staff members and parents on all program developments.
Preschool Teacher
Glendale Adventist Hospital
Glendale, CA
09.1996 - 01.1999
- Created learning environment where 18 preschool children explored, discovered, and learned through art, song, and games while developing creative and higher order thinking skills
- Communicated with parents through correspondence, telephone calls, and meetings to acknowledge progress, collaborate on programs, and encourage volunteer assistance
- Created and implemented lesson plans and learning centers that encouraged fine and gross motor skill development, as well as math, reading, and writing readiness skills
- Established classroom rules to acclimate children to daily routines and school environment
- Implemented activities based on theorists ranging from Piaget to Dewey that integrated cognitive, language, social, moral, physical, and emotional development strategies
- Supervised and trained preschool teachers on teaching methods and classroom management
- Developed and implemented a biting policy and wrote a manual on potty training
- Established and built positive, trusting relationships with parents and children.,
Education
Master of Arts - Human Development
Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena, CA10.2005
Bachelor of Arts - Child Development, Health Science
California State University - Chico
Chico, CA05.1995
9 Units in ECE Supervision And Administration - Early Childhood Education Leadership
University of California, Los Angeles Extension
Los Angeles, CA2005
Skills
- Executive Leadership
- Integrity and Transparency
- Leadership and People Development
- Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
- Policy and Procedure Adherence
- Budgeting and Financial Management
- Team Leadership
- Professional Relationships
- Health and Wellness Management
- Government Standards
- Program Operations
- Classroom Management Techniques
- Positive Learning Environment
- School Administration
- Statistical Data
- Consultation and Advisement
- Detailed Records and Reporting
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Emergency Response Plans
- Disaster Preparedness
- Cost Savings
- Payroll Preparation
- Skilled in Microsoft Office
- Educational Software
- Personnel Management
- Activity Organization
Accomplishments
- Pacific Oaks College December 2021
- Social Emotional Development
- Faculty: Christina Waterman, MA
- Attachment Theory
Affiliations
- Past Board Advisory Member of School of Education, Pacific Oaks College, 2018-2021
- Member, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- Member of the Ebell Club Northeast Los Angeles
- Southern California Foster Family Adoption Agency The Congressional Angels in Adoption Award recipient 2011
- Past Board Member, Verdugo Hills AEYC Newsletter Chairperson and Public Policy Chair: Presented to legislature in Washington DC and Sacramento, CA on childcare issues
- Past Member, Burbank City Council Child Care Committee
- Past Member, Burbank YMCA Child Care Committee
- Past Member, Risk and Safety Management Committee
- Member, Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE)
- Past Member, Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)
Presentations
- Taking Infants and Toddlers Outside, Staff Development Day May 2010
- Introduction of Emergent Curriculum Joy Picus CDC Staff Development Day, December 2011
- Conflict Resolution Joy Picus CDC Staff Development Day May 2013, 2014, 2015 and all Staff Development Day, as Executive Director Continuous Training
- Calming Techniques for Preschool Teachers and Children- Staff Development Day September 2014
- Quality Interactions with Infants and Toddlers Staff Development Day May 2015
- What a High-Quality Child-Care Center looks like, Staff Development Day May 2016 Illness Policy, and Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting, Staff Development Day May 2016
- Can We Talk: Conversations that Make a Difference, Staff Development Day May 2016
- Using SEAM as a necessary Assessment tool with all children-
- Staff Development Day, December 2016
- Classroom Management- Staff Development Day, December 2016
- All Components of NAEYC Accreditation: Portfolios and Labels, and an Introduction to Retirement Harry Pregerson Staff Development Day May 2017, August and December 2018
- Introduction of the Child Portfolio Assessment, Observation, Documentation, Evidence and Parent Conference- Staff Development Day May 2018
- Integrating Loose Parts in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Staff Development Day, May 2019
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.
Stacia Tauscher, dancer and artist
Timeline
Director
The Sunshine Shack Preschool
03.2021 - Current
Executive Director-Promoted
Mt Washington Preschool and Child Care Center, Inc
04.2016 - 10.2020
PodSkool Teacher
Wiggle and Work
01.2011 - 03.2021
Center Director at Joy Picus Child Development Cen
Mt Washington Preschool And Child Care Center, Inc
12.2010 - 04.2016
Field Analyst
Berkeley Policy Associates
12.2008 - 12.2009
Facilities Assistant
Opportunities, Learning-EMS
10.2008 - 12.2009
Director of Child Care
Burbank Community YMCA
12.2005 - 02.2008
Independent Parenting Consultant
02.2003 - 12.2005
Assistant Director
Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale Employers Children's Center
09.1997 - 02.2002
Preschool Teacher
Glendale Adventist Hospital
09.1996 - 01.1999
Master of Arts - Human Development
Pacific Oaks College
Bachelor of Arts - Child Development, Health Science
California State University - Chico
9 Units in ECE Supervision And Administration - Early Childhood Education Leadership
University of California, Los Angeles Extension
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