Summit Agenda - GEEARS

December 14 – 15, 2025 | Macon Marriott City Center – Macon, Georgia

AGENDA

December 14th (6:00PM-8:30PM) – Magnolia Ballroom

6:00PM-7:00PM Reception

7:00PM-8:30PM General Session and Dinner

December 15th (All Day)

8:00AM-8:30AM Breakfast (Overnight guests may use Vintage Restaurant voucher). In addition, continental breakfast available in the pre-function area starting at 8:30am.

- Keynote Speaker (Stephanie Blank) – Click here to view the presentation.
- The Brain Architecture Game (Greg Barrett): In this team-based, interactive activity, participants learn about early brain development, toxic stress, and how positive experiences can support resilience in a young child’s life.

- Clarissa’s Battle Screening & Discussion – Magnolia Ballroom A (Caitlyn Sanders and Trequita Overton): This documentary follows Clarissa Doutherd, a determined single mother turned activist, as she fights for child care and economic justice for families across America. Through personal storytelling and political advocacy, the film shines a light on the struggles of working parents and the urgent need for equitable, family-centered policies. It’s a story of resilience, community organizing, and the fight to ensure no parent is left behind. There will be a short discussion after the documentary. (NOTE: This session will run through the duration of Blocks 1 and 2. Participants should plan to stay for both.)

- Building People Power Across Savannah – Grand Salon A (Tiniki Harris, Samantha Shepherd, Deborah Truitt, Kaliea Thomas, and Felicia Shuman from 9to5 Georgia): 9to5 Georgia’s Community Justice Fellowship Program (CJFP) is a leadership development program designed to deepen community members’ leadership skills. Across the state, graduates of the CJFP program are building power with parents and providers through grassroots organizing. They are building the infrastructure needed to win a child care system that meets the needs of families and provides robust support for early childhood educators. Join us to learn more about local organizing efforts in Savannah, Macon, and Atlanta. Click here to view the presentation.

- Early Childhood Systems 101 – Grand Salon B (Callan Wells and Jessica Woltjen): Explore how Georgia’s early childhood programs, services, and policies shape young children, their families, and caregivers. This session demystifies the early childhood ecosystem and offers a first look at GEEARS’ 2026 policy priorities to strengthen support for children from birth to age five. Click here to view the presentation.

- Local Innovation in Early Childhood: Models that Inspire – Grand Salon A (Shawnell Johnson, Dawan Barfield featuring Shelly Masur from Liif): This session highlights how community-driven strategies can spark meaningful change for young children and families. Participants will hear real examples from the Low Income Investment Fund (Liif) and Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive (PAACT), showcasing how partnerships, creativity, and lived experience fuel impact. This session aims to equip attendees with practical ideas they can adapt in their own communities to strengthen early childhood systems. Click here to view the presentation.

- Advocacy Communications 101 – Grand Salon B (Meagan Jackson): Learn to craft effective, audience-focused messages to drive policy change, explore advocacy channels and tactics, and practice applying principles through an interactive activity. Click here to view the presentation.

12:00PM-1:00PM LUNCH & LEGISLATIVE PANEL – Magnolia Ballroom – From the Cradle to the Capitol: A Conversation With Georgia Legislators on Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy (Moderated by Hanah Goldberg): In this moderated panel discussion, state lawmakers will offer practical advice for engaging with elected officials, identify opportunities ahead of the 2026 legislative session, and share their vision for Georgia’s young children and families.

- Building a Culturally Responsive Classroom – Magnolia Ballroom A (Tatjyana Elmore and Sharon Hudgins-Beck from BCDI-Atlanta): Equips early childhood educators with the knowledge, skills, and reflective tools needed to cultivate culturally responsive learning environments where every child feels seen, valued, and supported. Participants will explore the foundations of cultural competence, examine the impact of culturally responsive teaching on child development and learning outcomes, and engage in practical strategies that can be implemented immediately in classrooms and programs. Click here to view the presentation.

- From Adversity to Hope: Mobilizing Communities Through Positive Childhood Experiences – Grand Salon A (Andrea Meyer Stinson from Resilient Georgia): Early childhood changemakers are uniquely positioned to transform adversity into hope for Georgia’s youngest children. This workshop explores the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in early childhood and highlights the protective power of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) in shaping lifelong well-being. Participants will learn research-informed strategies that foster resilience, strengthen early learning environments, and support families and communities. The session concludes with a call to action—empowering attendees to champion healing-centered, hope-building practices within their own spheres of influence. Click here to view the presentation.

- Early Childhood Systems 101 – Grand Salon B (Callan Wells and Jessica Woltjen): Explore how Georgia’s early childhood programs, services, and policies shape young children, their families, and caregivers. This session demystifies the early childhood ecosystem and offers a first look at GEEARS’ 2026 policy priorities to strengthen support for children from birth to age five. Click here to view the presentation.

2:05PM–3:00PM General Session – Magnolia Ballroom
- Power in Practice: Parents & Providers as Changemakers (Trequita Overton, Shawnell Johnson, and Dawan Barfield): This session will explore how the lived experiences of parents, caregivers, and early childhood providers offer powerful insight and action to influence systems change. Through storytelling, collective learning, and peer dialogue, participants will reflect on their unique roles and how they can activate their voice within the broader early childhood advocacy landscape.
- Closing Remarks (Hanah Goldberg and Mindy Binderman)