Child Development Consortium of Los Angeles

Lisa Wilkin

M.Ed., Executive Director

Lisa Wilkin's career at CDCLA began in 1988 as a teacher in the two-year-old room. In that classroom she placed great emphasis on inspiring and encouraging children to explore and construct knowledge through active learning and creative thinking. As Executive Director of CDCLA, she continues to emphasize creative exploration in the classroom as a central tenet to the child development philosophy of the organization.

Lisa's passion for early childhood education stems from her upbringing in a family of strong child advocates and educators and her experience working in other community based early childhood programs. Her philosophy has been shaped by a belief that a child's cognitive and emotional development is directly connected to the quality of the classroom experience in a child care setting.

As Executive Director, Lisa places particular importance on the education and training of preschool teachers. The agency supports the ongoing training of early childhood professionals in order to help them create a learning environment where children are motivated and valued. Great early childhood curriculum builds on the interests of children by making them active participants in the learning process. The objective is to help children develop problem-solving skills in order to prepare them for a world that is constantly changing in ways that cannot always be predicted. A well-trained teacher will help facilitate this learning.

Over the last several years, Lisa has worked to increase the level of collaboration between other organizations as well. She has established affiliations with other groups such as the Southern California Association for the Education of Young Children, the Los Angeles Child Care Planning Committee, and the California Child Development Administrator's Association among others. Additionally, under Lisa's leadership, CDCLA has acted as consultant for public and private agencies seeking to establish or re-design a child care program or facility.

Ancelma Sanchez

M.A., Program Director

Ancelma's currently serves as the organization's Program Director. Her tasks involve professional development of staff and ensuring the agency meets high quality standards for a child care program. She has been employed at CDCLA for 14 years.

Ancelma's philosophy of education is one that encourages children to understand, recognize and respect differences in themselves and others. CDCLA's child-centered practices encourage children to develop positive self-images and curious, reflective minds. As an educator, Ancelma believes that the development of positive self-image plays a crucial role in a child's learning and health. She understands that children become better learners when they have the opportunity to explore the environment, choose their own activities and make their own decisions. Playing, for example, is one of those activities that encourage beneficial elements of development in a child's life. As an early childhood educator, Ancelma is a proponent of play-centered programs and activities.

Ancelma is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Los Angeles County Child Care Planning Committee. She is an active participant of the Dia del Nino (Day of the Young Child) Committee in Los Angeles, serving as its Chairperson in 2007. Additionally, she has volunteered as a mentor and member of the California Mentor-Teacher Program Los Angeles.

She is a mother of three and dedicates her time to traveling with her family and training for local marathons. Ancelma is a graduate of the Masters in Child Development Early Childhood Education program at California State University at Los Angeles.

Child Development Consortium of Los Angeles (CDCLA), Inc.

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