How To Have Brave Conversations that Build Empathetic Kids

In her role as Chief Executive Officer and President of The CAYL Institute, Dr. Valora Washington is at the epicenter of current thinking about the biggest issues facing kids and families. She joins us to speak about one that is front of mind: Helping adults have the brave conversations that develop kids' sense of empathy over judgment, and respect the complexity of the world we live in. Dr. Washington will help us understand why keeping children "in a bubble" is not a reasonable option in today's world, and how choosing to be a powerful parent (or caregiver, or grandparent, or teacher) is one of the greatest gifts we can give the children in our lives.  

*****

Dr. Valora Washington is an internationally recognized authority in early childhood education. During her decade tenure as CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition, Dr. Washington advanced and professionalized the field of early childhood education with her leadership of the largest credentialing program for early educators in the United States, the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™. Dr. Washington is considered a pioneer in early education, having been named as a Legacy Leader by the Center for Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) for having shaped the early childhood education field, having a unique perspective on the history and context of today’s policy initiatives, and for developing strategies to address the issues that impact child outcomes.

She formerly served as Vice President at Antioch College and the Kellogg Foundation and as a tenured faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has held leadership roles with the Massachusetts Governor’s School Readiness Commission; Voices for America’s Children; NAEYC; Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development; National Head Start Association Commission on 2010; Boston Children’s Museum; and Wheelock College.