This team is dedicated to supporting early childhood educators in their work. Our professional development coordinators create content and deliver training to help you in your efforts to educate and care for young children. We also are committed to making sure the strategies are working. Our team of assessors evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies and help you adjust them to deliver results.
| Jessica Witkowski |
| Associate Director Children’s Learning Environments |
| Email: |
| jesswit@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| More than 20 years of diverse education support focused on the development and delivery of meaningful and intentional learning experiences across all academic levels. Experience in organizational leadership, curriculum development, classroom design, and leading academic teams to success while facilitating professional development opportunities and providing support materials to the education workforce. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2024 |
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS
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.
| Joy Rowe |
| Professional Development Coordinator |
| Email: |
| jmrowe@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| Began career as public school teacher; later served as a preschool administrator, Head Start education coordinator, and ECAP education supervisor. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2010 and prior to the learning environments team, served as Delaware Stars technical assistant and instruction specialist. |
| Linda Farmer |
| Professional Development Coordinator |
| Email: |
| lfarmer@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| More than 20 years experience teaching children preschool through school age. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2013 as an ERS assessor and transitioned to technical assistance in 2015. Joined the learning environments team as a PDC in November 2021. |
| Jessica DeWese |
| Professional Development Coordinator |
| Email: |
| jdewese@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| More than 25 years of experience in the field of education – positions include assistant center director, lead pre-k teacher, home visiting teacher, literacy coach, and 1st, 3rd grade teacher. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2020 as a PDC. |
| Rebecca Joella |
| Professional Development Coordinator |
| Email: |
| rjoella@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Doctoral Degree in Education Administration |
| Experience: |
| Began career as a first-grade teacher and later became a primary-grade reading specialist and literacy coach. Extensive experience developing and delivering early childhood education courses for online and face-to-face delivery, and mentoring beginning teachers. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2024. |
VERIFICATION & ASSESSMENT
The assessment group is trained in various assessment tools and are skilled in providing data as feedback so educators can make informed decisions about professional development needs.
| Alvita D. Kelly |
| Program Manager: Verification & Assessment |
| Email: |
| adkelly@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Master’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| More than 25 years in education (including 15 years of leadership experience). Former district administrator for early intervention and home visitor programming, technical assistance supervisor, adjunct faculty, special education council member. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2013. |
| Tanis Oakley |
| Assessor |
| Email: |
| toakley@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| Varied experience in the field of education includes teacher, program coordinator, and director. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2012. |
| Alyssa Whaley |
| Assessor |
| Email: |
| arpretty@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| Several years experience working as administrative assistant, substitute teacher, assistant teacher, and lead teacher in the field of early childhood education. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2017. |
| Ari Rivera |
| Assessor |
| Email: |
| arivera@udel.edu |
| Education: |
| Bachelor’s Degree |
| Experience: |
| More than 17 years as teacher working with children from toddlers to school age. |
| DIEEC History: |
| Joined DIEEC in 2013 as an assessor. |
