Question 1

Paula Gates

Accepted Answer

Paula Gates
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With more than 24 years of experience in early childhood, Paula currently leads the Early Childhood Services program at Sunbeam Family Services as Chief Program Officer. Her broad range of experiences working in the field gives her a unique advantage in overseeing Educare Oklahoma City and a complex range of multi-faceted partnerships serving children and families under the Office of Head Start Child Care Partnership program.

After years of owning her own child care center in NE Oklahoma, and then to directing non-profit early childhood centers, she became an integral component of the team that designed and implemented the Educare OKC model.

With the opportunity to advance her knowledge base and share her insight with Early Head Start and Head Start grantees statewide, Paula joined the Office of Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network in 2010. Returning to Sunbeam in 2015 to implement new partnerships between Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care, Paula has created a dynamic team that leads one of the state’s premier early childhood care and education programs.

Paula holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Oklahoma, and has happily raised four children in Norman with her husband and partner, Galen Miller.

Question 2

Charlotte Hollarn, M. Ed

Accepted Answer

Charlotte Hollarn
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Charlotte Hollarn, M.Ed. has been teaching and training in the early childhood education field for over 30 years. She attained her college education at the University of Oklahoma achieving a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Masters Degree in Adult/Community Education as well as Administration.

Although the formal education is highly valued, her greatest learning moments have been while working with children and the adults in their lives. She has a never-ending passion for children and families and has served in many capacities in the area of early childhood education, professional development and teaching.

Question 3

Nancy vonBargen, MC

Accepted Answer

Nancy vonBargen
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Charlotte Hollarn, M.Ed. has been teaching and training in the early childhood education field for over 30 years. She attained her college education at the University of Oklahoma achieving a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Masters Degree in Adult/Community Education as well as Administration.

Although the formal education is highly valued, her greatest learning moments have been while working with children and the adults in their lives. She has a never-ending passion for children and families and has served in many capacities in the area of early childhood education, professional development and teaching.

Question 4

Paula Brown, MAEd

Accepted Answer

Paula Brown
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Paula A. Brown, MAEd, has 36 years of combined experience in Early Childhood and supporting individuals with varying needs. She continues her role as a Manager for United Community Action Head Start and is a PhD student at Oklahoma State University in Human Development and Family Sciences through the Institute for Building Early Relationships (IBEaR).

Question 5

Amber Cuyler

Accepted Answer

Amber Cuyler took on the role of Director of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) at Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness in July of 2023. Amber has worked as an advocate for children, families and child care professionals in a career with CCR&R that spans 20 years. Having held a position at each level from Consultant and Regional Director to state CCR&R Director, she is most proud of her reputation for bringing creative solutions, leveraging collective strengths and creating strong connections through relationship building at each level.

When families in her rural school district were desperately seeking child care, she built a partnership with school administrators and local business owners to open a licensed Child Care program, Wild & Wonder, where she remains Executive Director.

Amber earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma and her Master of Education degree from the University of Oklahoma. She received the 2022 Anne Roberts People’s Choice Award for Child Advocacy from OICA in recognition of her advocacy efforts on behalf of Oklahoma’s children, families and the ECE workforce. Amber serves on Child Care Aware of America’s Joint Leadership Council, is a Co-facilitator of Oklahoma’s State Leadership Team for Pyramid Model Implementation, is a Conscious Discipline Endorsed Facilitator and an American Heart Association First Aid/CPR Instructor.

Amber and wife Deedra live on the border of the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Oklahoma with their teenaged son Jaxson and twin daughters Baylee and Carlee.

Question 6

Anthony Stafford

Accepted Answer

Anthony Stafford
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Anthony Stafford is the Senior Program Director for Early Childhood Services at Sunbeam Family Services. He joined Sunbeam in 2021 and has dedicated his career to working with Head Start programs. His personal experience with Head Start fuels his commitment to building brighter futures for children and families. Anthony holds a degree from the University of Oklahoma. In his role, he oversees early childhood education initiatives, emphasizing the importance of early brain development and creating supportive learning environments.

Prior to joining Sunbeam, Mr. Stafford was employed as the Division Director of Early Childhood Education for Big Five Community Services, Inc. based in Durant, Oklahoma. In that capacity Mr. Stafford served on the agency’s leadership team and was responsible for the administration and implementation of early childhood instruction, primarily those involving Early Head Start services to children six months to three years of age and Head Start services to children three and four years of age.

Mr. Stafford has more than 25 years of administrative experience working with non-profit organizations particularly in the areas of preschool and adolescent children. He has served on numerous boards and committees over the course of his career and currently serves as a member of the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, the Region VI Head Start Association Boards and the Oklahoma Head Start Association.

“It gives me great pleasure to serve as part of the implementation committee for the Oklahoma Clearinghouse for Early Childhood Success,” Stafford said. “I look forward to my role in this very important and worthwhile endeavor for children across the State of Oklahoma."

Question 7

Rachel Proper

Accepted Answer

Rachel Proper
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Rachel is the President of Child Care, Inc. and the current President of the Oklahoma Child Care Association. As a second-generation child care owner and operator in central Oklahoma, she continues her family’s legacy of providing high-quality early childhood education.

Under her leadership, Child Care, Inc. has been serving Oklahoma families for over 40 years, fostering a commitment to excellence in child care and early learning.

Question 8

Gabrielle Moon

Accepted Answer

Gabrielle Moon
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Gabrielle Moon serves as the Executive Director of St. Luke’s Children’s Center, which provides full-day, five-day-a-week programs in a nurturing, safe, and supportive environment. In her role, Gabrielle oversees the operations and management of three children’s centers located in Oklahoma City and Edmond.

With 20 years of dedicated service at St. Luke’s, she brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to early childhood education, ensuring high-quality care and learning opportunities for young children.

Question 9

Deborah Smith

Accepted Answer

Deborah Smith
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Deborah Smith has been with the Oklahoma Human Services for nearly her entire career since 1998, starting as a Child Welfare Specialist in McIntosh and McClain Counties. Over the years, she held various roles, including Program Administrator and Program Director, before being named Director of Child Welfare in 2010—a position she held for five years.

Following her tenure as Child Welfare Director, she served for five years as the Regional Program Manager with the U.S. Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, in Kansas City. She returned to Oklahoma Human Services in 2019, where she has since held multiple leadership positions, ultimately rising to her current role as Deputy Director.

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