Press Release: Children First Ambassadors Selected for National Executive Leadership Program

SARASOTA, FL (June 17, 2025) – Children First is proud to announce that Jessica Rogers, Vice President of Philanthropy, and Sharon Haynes, Director of Strategic Initiatives, have been selected to participate in the UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program, one of the most prestigious leadership development opportunities in the early childhood education field.
 
Hosted by the UCLA Anderson School of Management, the program brings together senior Head Start leaders from across the country for an intensive 12-day residency focused on strategic planning, fiscal operations, and organizational leadership. It is part of the National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations (NCPMFO), funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start.
 
Rogers and Haynes were selected based on their leadership experience, strategic vision, and commitment to improving outcomes for children and families. Together, they will develop a customized Management Improvement Plan (MIP) to directly address a strategic challenge or opportunity at Children First.
 
Children First is Sarasota County’s exclusive provider of Head Start and Early Head Start services. Each year, the agency serves hundreds of economically vulnerable children and their families at multiple sites across Sarasota, North Port, and Venice. In addition to early childhood education, Children First provides health and wellness programs, comprehensive family strengthening services, and the Families First Institute, which offers free workshops in parenting, career readiness, and personal development.
 
Jessica Rogers leads the agency’s philanthropic strategy and has spearheaded major expansions in family strengthening and mental health services. She was recently recognized as a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International’s inaugural 40 Over 40 Class, honoring globally impactful leaders, and was nominated for the Lawton and Rhea Chiles Advocate Award by Children’s Week Florida.
 
Sharon Haynes, a veteran in early childhood systems and community development, oversees long-term strategic initiatives and the agency’s emergency preparedness efforts. She has earned multiple national and regional awards for her leadership in public service, including five NAHRO Awards of Merit, and brings over three decades of experience in education and program innovation.
 
“This recognition speaks to the strength and expertise that define Children First,” said CEO Philip Tavill. “Jessica’s executive leadership and Sharon’s strategic contributions reflect the innovation and impact that position our agency as a model across the nation.”
 
About Children First:
Founded in 1961 and ranked in the top 1% out of over 1,800 Head Starts nationwide, Children First strengthens children and families by improving the quality of their lives through a comprehensive approach to development, education, health, and well-being. At multiple sites throughout Sarasota County, Children First offers full-day preschool, infant and toddler care, and nutrition and health care assistance to children ages birth to five years old from low-income families. Through Children First, the children receive the social and cognitive skills needed to enter kindergarten and elementary school on track. For more information, call (941) 953-3877 or go to childrenfirst.net.
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