Jenna Bannon
Jenna Bannon serves as associate director in the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Children and Families Program. She manages multiple grants in early childhood and child welfare and co-leads the interdisciplinary work on child and family policy. Bannon comes to NCSL with more than 25 years of experience in state legislative policy, working for a governor, state legislators, state agencies and nonprofits. She worked for NCSL from 1998-2000 and is excited to be back working at the national level to support the success of legislators and legislative staff.
Reggie Bicha
Reggie Bicha, MSW, President and CEO of the American Public Human Services Association, is a social worker, administrator, educator, and national leader. He has extensive experience working on child welfare, early childhood education, employment, and healthcare issues at the county, state, and national levels.
He served as the Executive Director for the Colorado Department of Human Services for Governor John Hickenlooper, and as the Inaugural Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families for Governor Jim Doyle. He is a former Ascend Fellow, sponsored by the Aspen Institute, focusing on 2 Generation approaches to move children and parents beyond poverty. Reggie served as President of Acelero, Inc., a pioneering provider of early childhood education and family engagement services for thousands of Head Start children and families across the country.
Reggie was recognized in 2014 for his leadership and dedication with the Casey Family Programs “Excellence for Children Award.” Reggie has three children and lives with his wife, Katie, in Denver, CO.
Tim Blute
Timothy Blute serves as director for the National Governors Association Center For Best Practices, where he leads a team of policy experts who identify, research and disseminate best practices in state public policy. Previously, he served as program director for the NGA Center for Best Practices’ Homeland Security & Public Safety Division. Blute focused on cybersecurity, public safety communications and information sharing.
Prior to joining NGA, Blute served at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he worked on matters related to surveillance policy, national security law and counterterrorism.
Blute holds a J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in International affairs from the George Washington University.
Sherrell Byrd
Sherrell Byrd serves as Executive Director of SOWEGA Rising. She is a native of Albany, Georgia and has spent the span of her career building her expertise in the areas of event planning, nonprofit management and fund development. Through her various roles, Sherrell has raised over $1.5 million dollars for nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in South Georgia, has planned over hundreds of successful corporate, private and charity events and has assisted in the development of numerous nonprofit organizations and businesses.
The wearer of many hats, Sherrell leads the life of a busy entrepreneur, serving as owner of LadyByrd Event Enterprises, which encompasses LadyByrd Event Design, the BAM Agency and her latest venture, In the Black Publishing. Additionally, she is the chair of the newly formed Albany Business League, an organization that supports and empowers minority business owners to reach their next level in business in Albany, GA.
Sherrell is also actively engaged in serving her community. Currently, she serves as the selection committee and planning committee chair for the Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students (GCAPS) in Dougherty Co. She is a recent graduate of Leadership Albany, class of 2015. She serves as a subject matter expert in the areas of nonprofit management, serving as a resource for many nonprofit organizations across the country. Sherrell is a sought after speaker, trainer, facilitator and host for numerous conferences and seminars. She is currently in the process of penning her first two novels.
Denise Castillo Dell Isola
Denise Castillo Dell Isola (she/her/hers), J.D., is the Program Director for Early Childhood at the Irving Harris Foundation where she leads grantmaking and field leadership in early childhood and advances the Foundation’s early childhood policy and advocacy work in Illinois, and at the multi-state and federal levels. Over the years, she spearheaded the Foundation’s work to advance a public/private partnership for a mental health consultation initiative in Illinois and led the Foundation’s effort to provide investments at the intersection of immigration and early childhood with a focus on infant early childhood mental health and child trauma. More recently, she worked to develop the Foundation’s early childhood strategy to support multi-issue grassroots organizing and movement building efforts to advance racial justice and equity and shift investments to organizations and initiatives led by and for communities most impacted by oppression. She currently serves on the steering committee for the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. Before joining the Foundation, Denise served as the executive director of El Hogar del Nino, a community-based early care and education center in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago. This experience working with families and their young children and the amazing staff that care for them in a community-based organization drives her passion to work on policy, advocacy and systems change. She also worked at United Way of Metro Chicago engaging with nonprofit organizations on a workforce development program. In her first career, she practiced commercial litigation at DLA Piper LLP. Denise is the proud mom of two children (13 and 11 years old), enjoys running with her two dogs, and spends lots of family time at the softball and baseball fields.
Steffanie Clothier
Steff Clothier serves as a Director on the Philanthropy team at Gary, directing activities in the School Readiness outcome area. She develops and manages investments and solutions strategies to promote school readiness in areas such as healthy births, children’s early skills and family support and a portfolio around early learning focused on preschool and child care.
Steff’s career spans a variety of social change strategies including philanthropy, innovation, state policy, national policy efforts, student and community organizing and campaigns covering issues including early childhood, poverty and welfare reform and environmental issues. She’s happiest thinking of new ideas with diverse thinkers and bringing them to life.
Prior to joining Gary, she was Senior Policy Director for the Alliance for Early Success, providing strategic support to state and national organizations. For nearly a decade, Steff led early care and education initiatives with state legislatures as program director with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). She led legislative efforts on welfare reform in the late 90’s and early 2000s and prior to that was part of the founding team of Green Corps, the field school for environmental organizing. Hobbies include spending time with trees, hiking, paddleboarding, tennis and getting out into nature in her VW camper.
Steve ErkenBrack
Steve ErkenBrack brings a diverse and extensive 40-year career in law, healthcare, and government to his position as the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Buell Foundation. He has previously served as President & CEO of Rocky Mountain Health Plans, as Mesa County District Attorney, and as Colorado’s Chief Deputy Attorney General. Additionally, ErkenBrack founded two law firms: one in the 1980s in Grand Junction and another in the 1990s spanning the Front Range and the Western Slope with locations in Denver and Grand Junction, where he specialized in litigation. His most recent position was Of Counsel with Hoskin Farina & Kampf, P.C., in Grand Junction.
ErkenBrack’s legal, healthcare, and government acumen has been a resource for numerous state and federal officials in both political parties. The Colorado legislature repeatedly appointed him as its representative on multiple healthcare commissions and boards. The Colorado Supreme Court appointed ErkenBrack to the Colorado Board of Law Examiners, where he served as Chair.
ErkenBrack has also served in leadership positions for a number of diverse boards, including the Alliance of Community Health Plans, the Colorado District Attorneys Council (President), and the Board of Governors of the Colorado Bar Association. He served more than 10 years as a trustee on the Board of Directors here at the Buell Foundation, chairing its Strategy Committee.
ErkenBrack received his law degree from the University of Colorado and his undergraduate education at the United States Naval Academy and Washington and Lee University. He has been admitted to practice before all courts in Colorado and before the United States Supreme Court. Steve has been happily married to his spouse Lysa for more than 40 years. They have three adult children and four grandchildren, all of whom live in Colorado.
Ann Flagg
Ann Flagg served as Director of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she led federal policy and operations for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood programs. Appointed in 2021, she played a key role in shaping TANF policy in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023—the most significant reform to TANF since 1996—introducing outcome-based reporting and pilot performance measures to support more flexible, family-centered services.
During her tenure at OFA, Flagg led cross-agency partnerships with federal entities like USDA, launched the ACF-wide Fatherhood Task Force, and oversaw major regulatory actions. She also spearheaded efforts to strengthen internal culture and equity, resulting in improved staff satisfaction, clearer career pathways, and realigned organizational structures.
Before her federal appointment, she served as Senior Director of Policy and Practice at the American Public Human Services Association and held executive roles in the Maryland Department of Human Services. With more than a decade in nonprofit leadership, Flagg has worked extensively in workforce development, behavioral health, and housing. She holds a B.S. in Sociology from Towson University and an MPA from the University of Baltimore.
Teresa Granillo
Dr. Teresa Granillo is the Chief Executive Officer of AVANCE, a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering Latino families with young children through culturally-responsive, two-generation education and support. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Granillo earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona and advanced degrees from the University of Michigan, including a Master of Social Work, Master of Science in Psychology, and a dual Ph.D. in Social Work and Psychology.
Prior to leading AVANCE, Dr. Granillo served as Executive Director of Con Mi MADRE, which engages young Latinas and their mothers to support their pursuit of postsecondary education. Before entering the nonprofit sector, she was a Tenure-Track Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, School of Social Work, focusing on evidence-based and culturally responsive practices.
Dr. Granillo is also active in her community, serving on the Board of Directors for UnidosUS and on the National Advisory Council for the Hogg Mental Health Foundation. Driven by her personal experiences, she is a passionate advocate for education and the well-being of Latina/o children and families.
Katie Hamm
Katie Hamm is a nationally recognized leader in early childhood policy, with over two decades of experience shaping programs that support young children and families. A passionate advocate for equitable early childhood systems, Katie supports the field through policy advising, thought leadership, and public commentary. She is currently a Visiting Professor at the Erikson Institute, where her work focuses on the intersection of policy and research as well as supporting local and state organizations navigate the current federal landscape.
She served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) during the Biden Administration, where she oversaw $25 billion in federal early childhood funds, including Head Start and the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). In this role, she played a pivotal part in advancing inclusive, high-quality early learning systems nationwide. Katie began her tenure at ACF during the COVID-19 public health emergency, leading efforts to distribute federal relief funds, provide access to vaccines for early educators, and She led efforts to improve wages for early educators and improve the affordability and accessibility of early care and education programs.
Prior to her federal leadership, Katie was Vice President for Early Childhood Policy at the Center for American Progress, directing research and advocacy efforts to expand access to affordable, high-quality child care and preschool. Her earlier public service includes roles at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, where she served as a program examiner focused on human services programs.
Katie began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow, completing assignments at ACF’s Office of Child Care and the OECD in Paris. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.
Kanika Harris
Kanika Harris, PhD, MPH serves as Executive Director of National Association to Advance Black Birth (NAABB) in September 2024. Prior to stepping into her leadership role at NAABB, Dr. Harris served as Senior Director of Maternal and Child Health Senior Director of Maternal and Child Health for the Black Women's Health Imperative.
Dr. Harris is a health equity strategist and health education subject-matter expert with more than a decade of experience serving as the go-to facilitator of evidence-based, multi-sector research initiatives designed to advance equitable outcomes for underserved populations. She steps into her new role as the leader of the NAABB with a deep sense of purpose and urgency. Her journey in maternal health is both professional and personal, driven by a commitment to equity, justice, and systemic change.
Why This Work Matters: The U.S. has one of the worst maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and Black women face outcomes comparable to some of the world’s poorest countries. Kanika’s work is deeply personal—as a near-miss survivor, former doula, and public health expert, she has seen firsthand how systemic failures put Black birthing people at risk.
Mental Health & Maternal Health Are Inseparable: For too long, maternal and mental health have been treated separately, leaving critical gaps in care. Stress from racism, inequitable healthcare, and financial instability significantly impact birth outcomes. Kanika believes true maternal health justice must include mental well-being.
From Science to Storytelling: As an author and filmmaker, Kanika translates research into powerful narratives that shift culture and policy. Storytelling makes these issues personal, urgent, and impossible to ignore. Dr. Harris co-directed and produced a documentary called Listen to Me, which explores four women at the front lines of the Black maternal health movement walking the tightrope of racism and birth in America, funded by Black Public Media. A preconception doula model created by Dr. Harris is also featured in this ProPublica documentary on stillbirth: Before a Breath.
She received her master’s degree in public health and international development from Morehouse School of Medicine and her doctorate in health behavior and health education from the University of Michigan.
Monica Hobbs Vinluan
Monica Hobbs Vinluan joined the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in 2015 and currently serves as Senior Program Officer for Strategic Portfolios. She is a passionate professional advocate for health promotion and has been a policy champion, on a variety of health and wellbeing issues, for more than two decades.
Throughout her varied and distinguished career, Monica has promoted justice and equity, and her work at RWJF supports policy strategies that help all families have the resources necessary to raise thriving children and achieve ideal health and wellbeing in their communities.
She views her role at RWJF, and previously, as advocating for those who, through structural racism and inequity, lack the power to create change for themselves and their community. In various roles she has worked on reproductive justice, disability rights, equity for those with chronic disease, environmental justice, youth development, childhood obesity prevention, and support for those who live in communities that limit successful health outcomes.
Monica’s career began on Capitol Hill and then she transitioned to a professional lobbyist and advocate. This experience expanded her insight into the role of governance and the nature of power, and how critical it is to restore an equilibrium between those who have power and those who do not. This imbalance can lead to silenced voices, diminished perspectives, and alternative narratives, and she strives to adjust that imbalance. She continues to learn about structural inequities and draw connections to systemic changes that are needed to improve and expand children and families’ access to opportunity.
Her current work focuses on supporting policy strategies, and power realignment, to ensure that all families have the resources necessary to raise thriving children and to create the conditions in communities to allow all residents to reach their best possible health and wellbeing. She has written on a host of related topics, including state policymaking to advance equity and strengthen families; the Child Care Tax Credit program; community programs to promote equity; and school nutrition standards for children.
Prior to joining RWJF, Monica directed YMCA of the USA’s Healthier Communities Initiatives, which catalyzed 250 community and state-level leadership teams to put in place strategies and policies that enabled people to make healthy choices. She also served as a senior policy associate with the National Recreation and Park Association. She was a regulatory counsel with Stateside Associates and a federal legislative counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights. She also worked with the National Women’s Law Center, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, and the National Association of Child Advocates.
She earned her Juris Doctorate at the American University Washington College of Law and was a first-generation college student when she received her BA in Political Science from Virginia Tech. She was the recipient of the Sandra P. Grasso Scholarship for her commitment to advancing social justice and feminism, and has also been honored for her work in opening the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech.
Growing up in different countries gave her an empathetic lens, inquisitive heart, and the emotional intelligence to better understand why some are afforded less opportunities than others. She loves being outside on the trail, at the park, or cheering on sporting events. She is passionate about her family, her community, and her work at RWJF.
Amy Jo Hutchinson
Amy Jo Hutchison is a born and raised West Virginian. She began organizing in poor and marginalized communities across the state in 2017, using her lived experience of poverty to connect with people who share the same experience.
In February 2020, Amy Jo spoke to the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform regarding the poverty level in Washington D.C. Her testimony went viral and has provided the opportunity to discuss poverty on a much broader stage. View her Congressional testimony.
She is building a movement grounded in West Virginia, Rattle the Windows, with folks impacted by the issues, focused on economic justice.
In October of 2021, she appeared in episode 3 of "The Problem with Jon Stewart," "The Economy," in which she discussed the issues affecting the working poor. More recently, Amy Jo was named the 2024 recipient of the 2024 T. Berry Brazelton Friend of Children Award by the board of directors for the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA). At the start of 2024, Amy Jo stepped into the role of West Virginia Campaign Director for MomsRising.
A.C. Locklear
A.C. Locklear, a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, was announced as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) in April 2025. Founded in 1972, NIHB advocates as the unified voice for all American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes to reinforce Tribal sovereignty, strengthen Tribal health systems, secure resources, and build capacity to achieve the highest level of health and well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native People.
Previously, A.C. served as NIHB’s Federal Relations Director, leading their federal budget and regulatory policy priorities, including developing and advancing Tribal health and public health policy priorities to the White House and federal government agencies, leading budget formation, analysis, and advocacy work, and bolstering Tribal leader participation in consultation and Tribal advisory committees.
A.C. previously served as a Policy Analyst at NIHB, managing many of the organization’s public health policy priorities. A.C. has also served as a Program Manager for the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute and the Director of Student Engagement for the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The driving force behind A.C.’s educational and professional experiences is the desire to continue the path of his ancestors and those who came before him by working to counteract barriers and improve Tribal communities and the quality of life for American Indian and Alaska Native peoples.
A.C. is a two-time graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies, with a concentration in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, in 2013, and his Juris Doctorate in 2016. A.C. is originally from Pembroke, North Carolina, and is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
A.C. holds a BA in American Studies and a JD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he serves on the American Indian Center Advisory Board. His work aims to counter barriers and improve the quality of life for American Indian and Alaska Native peoples. A.C.’s leadership, vision, and deep commitment to Tribal health make him the right person to lead NIHB forward.
Rev. Terrance McKinley
Rev. Terrance McKinley serves as Vice President of Movement Building and Strategy for the National Black Child Development Institute. He brings an extraordinary depth of experience and passion for effecting meaningful change. With accolades from national and reputable organizations, Rev. McKinley has a proven commitment to faith and justice and has successfully mobilized communities around critical issues, demonstrating transformative national leadership in advocacy, public policy, campaigns, racial justice, and civil and human rights.
Rev. McKinley most recently joined the team of the LIFT Project, a justice effort aimed at combatting the centuries-long history of vilifying Black people and other communities through the spread of harmful narratives that deepen racial hierarchy. He has also co-led multiple federal and state-based advocacy efforts. He has contributed to public discourse through the authorship of 12 published articles that have garnered significant online views and engagement on social media.
Rev. McKinley received the 2023 President of the United States of America, Joseph R. Biden Juneteenth President’s Achievement Award for his tireless dedication and lifelong commitment to service. He holds degrees from Cornell University and Princeton Theological Seminary.
Tonja Rucker
Dr. Tonja Rucker serves as Director, Early Childhood Success, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (IYEF) at the National League of Cities where she is responsible for driving the creation and refinement of a strategic early learning agenda and overseeing the execution of innovative and high-impact technical assistance in cities. She conceptualizes and leads efforts to identify and document best practices and contributes to the overall management of the Institute, including strategic planning, and coordination of cross-program initiatives. Tonja works directly with mayors, city council members, and other municipal officials in creating local systems of support for young children and builds alliances with national partners. By helping cities develop the necessary local infrastructure and providing concrete ideas and tools for policy and programmatic action, a significant number of cities and towns have positioned themselves as models for investing in children. Prior to joining the NLC team, Tonja served as Transition Coordinator for Baltimore City and as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland College Park. She serves on a variety of boards and committees. She has a doctorate in Human Development from the University of Maryland College Park and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Spelman College.
Mica Whitfield
Mica Whitfield is the Co-President and CEO of 9to5, National Association of Working Women where she leads the organization’s vision for economic justice for working women and non-binary people of color through worker justice, family and community sustainability, and power building. Mica began her work at 9to5 as the Georgia State Director, leading the chapter to landmark policy wins on paid leave and workplace retaliation for Georgia state employees.
She brings more than a decade of nonprofit leadership, policy advocacy, and programmatic solutions experience for women and families. She is the Director of Programs for Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia where she managed maternal health programs, grants, advocacy initiatives, and policy-level workgroups for the organization. She is the former Vice President and Advocacy Chair for Postpartum Support International-Georgia Chapter, where her advocacy enshrined Maternal Mental Health Day in the Georgia Code and secured $1.05 million to establish the State’s first Maternal Mental Health Telepsychiatry Line.
She has long focused on creating pathways for women’s health and economic well-being and believes liberation is grounded in racial, gender, and economic justice. Mica is a mother of two children, Justice and Joy, whose names reflect her hope for women and non-binary people of color.