2020-2021 Parent Ambassadors:

Tiffany Callahan - The Children's Center
Tameka Lawrence - The Children's Center
Fatmata Jalloh - Northern Virginia Family Service


 Ambassador Program

Parents, talk with your Head Start Program Director to apply by November 1, 2020 to be one of four  parents to share your Head Start success story on a virtual platform to state and federal legislators. If CDC guidelines permit, we will meet in person in Richmond during the General Assembly session.

Parent Ambassador candidates will be selected by the beginning of December.  If selected, you will be asked to participate in a planning call in December/January for training, scheduling, and preparation.  The call will be scheduled with the selected parents in order to find a mutually agreeable time (nights and weekends are an option as well).

Ambassadors will attend virtual meetings with state and/or federal representatives. We will plan an advocacy day with other early childhood stakeholders while the General Assembly is in session if possible. Exact date(s) will be announced when the General Assembly schedule (sometime in Mid-Jan through March) and current Covid-19 restrictions have been released.

If you commit to this position, you agree to be an advocate for Head Start at the local level and when possible, the state and national level as well.  Advocacy efforts will be through the guidance of the VAHSA Executive Director. 

The work of Parent Ambassadors will include:

  • Encourage advocacy in their Head Start program and among the parents of that program
  • Collaborate with other Parent Ambassadors and parent leaders in the EHS/HS community
  • Ultimately lead training at a local level, work with Policy Council for this
  • Participate in advocacy events when and where possible

 Currently enrolled parents are preferred but former parents are welcome too.

Questions? Contact Dawn Ault at [email protected] 

2019-2020 Parent Ambassadors: 

Heather Thomas - Fairfax County Public Schools
Tabatha M Fulton - STEP Inc. 
Tasha Wagner - The Children's Center
Haydee Navarro - The Children's Center

2018-2019 Parent Ambassadors:

Jessica Hensler - Hampton Roads CAP
Rima Alshawkani - Fairfax County Public Schools
Kirstan Roach - Orange County Head Start