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Topic
Early Efforts | Foundations of Early Literacy
Date & Time

Selected Sessions:

Jun 5, 2025 02:00 PM

Description
Early literacy doesn’t just start in kindergarten, or even in preschool. Components that impact a child’s proficiency begin with brain development and can be supported in every ecosystem in which a family exists. This webinar will include a discussion about what early development brain science teaches us about when early literacy begins, as well as conversations with leaders from innovative literacy initiatives to explore how states can best support the literacy development of young learners.  Panelists: Callee Boulware has served as Executive Director of Reach Out and Read in the Carolinas beginning in 2001 and led the team through regionalization with Virginia and Washington, D.C. She currently leads a team who are deeply committed to making Reach Out and Read a strong, sustainable reality for all children across the Carolinas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Aruna Gilbert is Chief Program and Policy Officer at the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County and leverages her unique background to revolutionize kindergarten readiness. Her trauma-informed approach underpins innovative programs serving thousands of children annually. Gilbert transforms early childhood education through strategic partnerships and data-driven initiatives, ensuring every child begins their educational journey equipped for success. Dr. Maryam S. Sharifian, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Executive Director of JMU Center for Advancement Research in Education (CARE), is a nationally recognized expert in ECE. Her work is grounded in strong partnerships with local communities and spans national and international collaborations. She is committed to advancing systems-level change across the birth-to-age-8 continuum through research, practice-based evidence, and sustainable policy engagement.