About the Leadership and Administration Team
This team of early childcare experts are dedicated to working with program leaders to help them develop and implement continuous quality improvement (CQI) plans. Through technical assistance and professional learning experiences, we can partner with you to develop CQI goals and strategies and then support you with implementation for lasting change.
| Jen Potts |
| Associated Director: Leadership and Administrator |
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| Email: |
| jpotts@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
| Twenty nine years working in early childhood. Started working in the field as a preschool teacher in 1993. Spent the next 15 years in various roles with all age groups and worked as an administrator. Began working with QRIS systems in 2008, first in Pennsylvania then in Delaware. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2012 as a Stars Curriculum & Assessment Specialty Technical Assistant (TA). Served as TA program manager in 2019 before becoming associate director in 2022. |
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Quality Improvement Specialist Team
Each center administrator/leader will work with a quality improvement specialist who will support you through the continuous improvement process (CQI). Through this work, the specialist will help you identify goals and put together a quality improvement plan to work toward and achieve your goals.
| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
| Twelve years classroom experience with children, two-year-olds through kindergarten. Worked seven years in early childhood administration. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2012. Roles include Technical Assistant, Anchor, and Coach. |
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| Dena Nacci |
| Quality Improvement Specialist |
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| Email: |
| dtj@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
| More that 20 years working in the field. Owned and operated a family child care program and then transitioned into various roles within ECE programs from classroom lead teacher to center administrator. . |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2012. |
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| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
| More than five years as kindergarten teacher and acting principal. Assessor for kindergarten to 1st grade in an Early Reading Study. National Trainer for Devereux Center for Resilient Children. Three years experience as center director. More than three years as early childhood education specialist for Head Start. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2014. |
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| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
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Vast experience in ECE in several states including Arizona and Colorado. Positions included Lab School Director at Arizona Western College, adjunct faculty, and CDA instructor. Worked in several Head Start programs in education and director roles.
In Colorado served as the division director/ vice president of Children’s Services.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2021. |
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| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
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12 years Preschool-8th Grade General Music Teacher with an emphasis in early childhood and students with special needs.
2 years as a center administrator for a large center.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2022. |
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| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
30+ years experience in early childhood education, early special education, and social work; significant background working with Head Start programs. Specializes in early intervention and building relationships with families and communities.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2019 and previously held a position with New Directions Early Head Start. |
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| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
20+ years experience in early childhood education; held various roles including teacher, director, and regional manager overseeing centers across multiple states.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2024 |
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| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
25 years of experience in education, held various roles including kindergarten teacher, child care program assistant director, program specialist, early learning specialist, and Rater for Virginia’s QRIS system (VQB5).
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2024 |
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Professional Development Coordinator Team
Early childhood educators can build on their skills with a variety of professional learning experiences facilitated by a professional development coordinator (PDC). Many of the professional development sessions will be followed up with implementation support.
| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
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More than 10 years in leadership roles in the ECE field, serving as an administrator of a large center.
Additionally, Val brings a rich background in various aspects of business with experience in finance, marketing, and human resources, working for Fortune 500 companies.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2020. Served in roles supporting DIEEC since 2013 including work as a Technical Assistant, TA Supervisor and Administrative Coach. |
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| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
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More than 15 years in early childhood, beginning as an infant teacher then working in all areas of a center-based program including teacher, curriculum coordinator, and director. Worked as a technical assistant for Children’s and Family First and recently as a Stabilization Fund specialist.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2020 as a Technical Assistant. |
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| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
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| Experience: |
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17 years in special education in both public and alternative education. She has worked as a teacher, coach, leader, and educational diagnostician.
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| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2022 as a PDC. |
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