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Michele Watson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils and Trusts. In this role, Michele provides leadership for the businesses, organizations, agencies and other key stakeholders involved with FACCT. Michele has been involved with the work of FACCT for many years, utilizing her expertise in data analysis and system development in the areas of education, policy and finance. Her efforts have helped make business cases for the need for increased investments and policy changes in education. Having received a degree in early childhood education from Florida State University, Michele began her career as an educator for the Polk County School Board for eight years. Upon moving to Tallahassee, she became the Policy Chief for Florida’s Office of Early Learning where she was responsible for coordinating early learning policy with the Florida Legislature as well as 31 local early learning coalitions. In 2012, Michele founded Watson Policy Solutions to focus on helping organizations identify systemic issues, develop new processes, and create system improvements to ensure maximum efficiency that allows entities to focus more on mission activities and services.
Sarah Heath is the Director of Operations and Special Projects at FACCT. She manages the SAMIS Collaborative, a group of CSCs, Trusts, and local partners who use a proprietary shared SaaS system for fiscal and programmatic functions. Sarah oversees FACCT’s operations and technology and provides project management for special projects. She has over two decades of bringing technology and people together to streamline processes and create data-driven outcomes.
Before joining FACCT, Sarah spent twelve years in Florida’s early learning system as Provider Relations Manager at the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend. In this capacity, she partnered with state and community agencies to serve families and childcare providers in seven counties in North Florida. Her frontline experience serving these communities gives her a unique insight into the needs of Florida’s families and caregivers.
Sarah earned her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences with a focus on Public Administration and Economics from Florida State University. She holds an undergraduate certificate in Crisis and Emergency Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Jennifer Faber is the Director of Florida Grade-Level Reading Campaign at the Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils and Trusts, providing leadership support and coordination for all aspects of the Florida Grade-Level Reading Campaign. She works closely with the existing and developing community campaigns providing technical assistance to the Community Leaders Network ensuring access to resources needed to set outcomes for children, implement aligned activities, and demonstrate progress toward goals. Additionally, Ms. Faber helps facilitate connectivity among the campaign’s State Policy Thought Leaders, the Early Learning Business Alliance and the Funders Collaborative to ensure synergy and alignment.
Jenn earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Sport Management at Robert Morris University (PA) and relocated to Florida in 1986 to begin her career in early learning and out-of-school time. Her extensive afterschool training history has included speaking engagements and keynote presentations in 38 of our 50 states as well as Germany & Japan. Jenn co-authored the Florida Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs and the Florida Core Competencies for Afterschool Practitioners; serves as the school-age care content expert for Florida Department of Children & Families; served eight years on the Florida After School Alliance Board of Directors; was a founding member of the Florida Afterschool Network; served as an Afterschool Alliance Ambassador and afterschool accreditation endorser; was trained in leading ‘Communities of Practice’; and lead several statewide network initiatives focused on provider/child relationships, early learning curriculum and quality afterschool services.
Over the past thirty years, Jenn has advocated for out-of-school time issues, written articles for local, state and national publications, provided training and technical assistance to a wide variety of audiences, assisted in the design of Florida’s early learning and afterschool professional development systems and served on national and state OST committees, as well as on local parks and recreation and YMCA Board of Directors in south Florida. Her endless commitment and enthusiasm to ‘provide quality out-of-school time learning experiences for all children’ has made her life-long work a daily pleasure!
At the Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils and Trusts, we believe Florida’s children are our most important resource – they are our future. That’s why, first and foremost, FACCT advocates for our state’s children and families. We serve as a leading voice in educating lawmakers about children’s issues and why investing in prevention and early intervention services is so critical to supporting our children and families. We want to ensure all children have every opportunity to reach their full potential, which means that they are born healthy, free from maltreatment, ready and successful in school, and supported in their homes and communities.
We know that for all of this to happen, Florida must invest in the more than four million children who call this beautiful state their home. We also know that to be successful, we must partner with local organizations and statewide leaders to ensure a policy agenda that embraces Florida’s children. Because when our children and families are healthy, safe and strong, we all benefit.
