Boston, July 23, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The BUILD Initiative, the nation's leading organization supporting state leaders in the development of early childhood systems, has named Susan Hibbard, a long-time leader in the early childhood field, to be its new Executive Director. Hibbard will oversee all aspects of BUILD's operations as it works with states to develop early childhood systems that are comprehensive and of high quality and that result in equitable outcomes for all children, birth to kindergarten.
"Susan is a highly skilled, well-respected and strategic leader in the early childhood field. She is driven by her deep commitment to equity and opportunity for all children to succeed in school and in life," said Phyllis Glink, Executive Director of the Irving Harris Foundation. "Susan has helped BUILD become the leader in developing comprehensive early childhood state systems designed to enhance the delivery of high quality services and supports to pregnant women and families with young children starting at birth. I am thrilled Susan has been selected to lead BUILD as it works to extend impact in the years ahead."
As Executive Director, Hibbard will oversee all aspects of BUILD's operations including state partnerships, the learning community, evaluation, funder relations, and financial management to advance BUILD's intensive work with states to increase coordination across early learning programs, child health and mental health, family support, and other child-serving systems. BUILD provides direct technical assistance, facilitates and convenes peer networks, and develops cutting edge resources for state leaders to ensure they have systems to better prepare young children to thrive and succeed.
"BUILD has always been a pioneer in the early learning field. We are now poised to use our successful work in states to shift the way policymakers and practitioners in all states think about early learning systems," said Hibbard. "In the coming years I want to clearly define that when you invest in BUILD and high quality early learning systems, your community and state win because their youngest children will be ready for school and prepared for the future."
Hibbard has over 20 years experience in the early learning and early childhood field. She has been a member of the BUILD team since its launch in 2002 as a consultant then as Deputy Director and Interim Executive Director. Prior to joining the BUILD Initiative, Hibbard was Project Manager, TA Provider and broker for various early learning, early childhood and social change projects and organizations nationwide, including the Early Childhood Funders' Collaborative, an association of national, regional, and local foundations supporting early childhood care and education. Hibbard also owned her own campaign-consulting firm where she worked on numerous successful electoral campaigns including helping to elect the first out-lesbian to the New York State Assembly and the first African American mayor of New York City.
Hibbard earned her Master's in American Government and Politics from the New School University and completed her undergraduate work in sociology and social anthropology at Bryn Mawr College. She lives with her partner in Portland, Maine and is the mother of two boys.
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Founded in 2002 by the Early Childhood Funders' Collaborative, a consortium of private foundations, BUILD works to improve the quality and availability of early childhood services for families by supporting state leaders from both the private and public sectors as they work to set policy, offer services and advocate for children from birth to age five. Find out more at www.buildinitiative.org