October 13-17, 2025
At the 2025 Family Engagement Conference, participants can look forward to a dynamic lineup of workshops that reflect this year’s theme: Healthy Families, Healthy Futures. Rooted in Head Start’s commitment to strengthening families, the conference will feature sessions that highlight innovative strategies and proven practices across five key focus areas: Family Engagement, Curriculum, Wellness and Health, Cross-Cutting Approaches, and Leadership. Attendees can expect a variety of engaging learning formats — including in-person and virtual 1.5-hour education sessions, pre-recorded one-hour offerings, and an intensive full-day pre-conference workshop. Each session is designed to foster practical skill-building, meaningful dialogue, and cross-role collaboration to help programs support the holistic well-being of children and families.
Please note times below are in Hawaii Time.
| Time | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00-5:00 PM | Board Meeting Invited Attendees Only |
In-Person |
| Time | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00-5:00 PM | Registration |
In-Person |
| 9:00-4:30 PM | RISE into Action: Reimagine, Reaffirm, and Renew with RISE Partners LLC |
In-Person |
| 9:00-4:30 PM | From Case Management to Care Management: Genuine Family Connections from Recruitment to Transition with Desiree Del Zio Walker |
In-Person |
| 9:00-4:30 PM | Rooted in Wellness: A BeWell Certification Experience, Strategies and Tools for classroom, staff, and family Success with Delia Vicente, Magdalena Pereyra, and Jamie Dix |
In-Person |
| 9:00-12:00 PM | Excursion to Lahaina, Maui early care and education programs |
In-Person |
| 1:30-3:30 PM | 1:30-2:00 PM Data Walk 2:00-3:30 PM Panel Everyone Invited No Registration Needed |
In-Person |
| 12:00-4:30 PM | Exhibitor set up |
In-Person |
| Time | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00-5:00 PM | Registration |
In-Person |
| 8:00-5:00 PM | Exhibitors |
In-Person |
| 8:00-9:00 AM | Coffee and Pastries |
In-Person |
| 8:30-12:00 PM | Opening General Session |
In-Person/ Live |
| 12:00-1:00 PM | Lunch *Provided* |
In Person |
| 1:00-4:30 PM | Tools for Leadership with Stedman Graham, Rudolph Johnson, III, Damon Carson, and Dr. Sheryl White |
In-Person |
| 1:00-2:30 PM | Fathers Matter: Partnering for Stronger Families in Head Start and Beyond with Dr. Tanya Thomas and Feliciano Lewis
Challenging Kids/Challenged Kids- Neurodiversity: ADHD, LD, Gifted, Spectrum, and other Differentness with Ronald Ma
Eat Healthy, Stay Active! with Jacquelyn Rivera |
In-Person |
| 3:00-4:30 PM | Designing an Effective Parent Education Program That Strengthens Fathers with Melinda Sokolowski, Mariana Mariana Gutierrez, and Miriam Castillo
Building Futures: A Career Pathway into Early Childhood Education with Judith Velasco, Luiza Luiza Balyan, and Tania Villegas
Competency Based Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation – Bridging the Gap with Erika Warner |
In-Person |
| Time | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00-5:00 PM | Registration |
In-Person |
| 8:00-5:00 PM | Exhibitors |
In-Person |
| 8:00-10:00 AM | Coffee |
In-Person |
| 8:30-10:00 AM | Looking Forward, Emerging Opportunities with Rising Partners LLC
Harvesting Curiosity and Cultivating Wonder: Planting the Seeds of Discovery with STEAM at Home and School with Jill St. Peter and Teresa Fogolini
Nourishment: Feeding for Growth, Health & Wellbeing with Nina Paddock and Lauren Zerkovich
Not Just Algorithms: Elevating Family Voices with AI and Innovative Tools with Noelle Cook
PITC Acknowledge, Ask and Adapt: Communicating with Families to Resolve Issues with Paulina Escamilla-Vestal |
In Person |
| 10:30-12:00 PM | Digital Storytelling and Family Strengths: Partnering for School Readiness with Noelle Cook
Hearts at Play: Strengthening Families Through Joy and Adversity with Dr. Shalek
Harvesting Curiosity and Cultivating Wonder: Planting the Seeds of Discovery with STEAM at Home and School Part 2 with Jill St. Peter and Teresa Fogolini |
In-Person |
| 12:00-1:00 PM | Lunch *Provided* |
In-Person |
| 1:00-2:30 PM | AI in Action for Head Start: How to Save Time and Strengthen Program Performance with Desiree Del Zio
Leadership in Action: Collaborating to Accelerate Literacy and Learning with Lori Masseur and Teri Clark
Support for Providers Serving Vulnerable Families: Caring for Others While Caring for Ourselves with Brandi Eichstedt and Justine Lawrence
Stress to Trauma- from Passive to Paralyzed to Power, Lessons from ACES for Empowerment with Ronald Ma |
In-Person |
| 3:00-4:30 PM | The Power of Play: Why Play is the Secret Ingredient to Life and School Readiness with Krista Murphy, Michelle Galindo, and Megan Wilson
Supporting Staff Wellbeing in the Workplace with Pulse Check with Deborah Payne, John H. Thomas, and Virginia Solano |
In-Person |
| Time | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00-12:00 PM | Registration |
In Person |
| 8:00-10:00 AM | Coffee |
In-Person |
| 8:30-10:00 AM | Directors Exchange with Cynthia Yao
The Art of Self Coaching Healthy Families, Healthy Futures with Kathleen Fraser
F.U.D.G.E (Father, Uncle, Dads, Grandfathers, and Everyone) How to Engage Males Role Models in Your Program with Billiejo LaBriola and Jose Guzman
From Recruitment and Beyond! with Jennifer Reed
The Authentic Fatherhood Partnership Part 1 with Marion Hill and Edward Casillas |
In-Person |
| 10:30-12:00 PM | Families as Advocates and Leaders: Research into Practice Series with Karelia Harding, Beatriz Marron-Molina, and Donalda Dodson
Balancing Acts: Supporting the Well-Being of Families Raising Children with Special Needs with Shirley Gavidia-Villegas, Marleny Alvarado, Monica Morales, and Nayeli Sos
The Authentic Fatherhood Partnership Part 2 with Marion Hill and Edward Casillas |
In-Person |
| 12:30-1:30 PM | Closing General Session |
In-Person/Live |
| 1:30-2:30 PM | Lunch *Provided* |
In-Person |
I have been to management workshops, not leadership training. This has totally changed my perspective and encouraged me to propel forward in developing my skills.
I am honored and humbled to be a recipient of the Head Start WEST’s Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship helped me get one step closer to achieving my goal of becoming a Head Start Director.
I took part in The disproportionate impact of COVID 19, and how to provide “real” support for black/brown children and families and I just want to say this was an amazing webinar. I hope we can look forward to further conversation on this topic.
Thank you so much for making events like this! I really enjoyed and learned so much teaching strategies to implement STEM in the classroom.
The HR Network was an excellent opportunity to network and learn the best practices from other HR professionals within Head Start programs. You will be amazed by the level of talent and experience of the participants.
The Summer Camp training was powerful and inspiring! Each presenter was very engaging, it’s hard to even pick a favorite session!
The Leadership Challenge training was very relevant to my work as a Head Start leader! Great facilitation; stayed with the program yet allowed time for individual and small group reflections.
Regular price $12.00
Regular price $39.00
Questions? Contact us at headstartr9@region9hsa.org.
