Our Leadership Team

 

Carly Andrews

Executive Director

Carly Andrews has spent her career supporting children’s developmental journeys from preschool through high school. From 2017 to 2022, Carly served as Head of School at Baker Demonstration School in Wilmette, Illinois. Prior to that, she was Head of School at Willowwind School, an independent PK-6th grade school in Iowa City, Iowa, and Assistant Head of School and Head of Middle School at Bosque School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Carly earned her B.A. in English Education and TESOL and her M.A. at Middlebury College. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Child Development at Loyola University in partnership with the Erikson Institute, focusing her research on how belonging and friendship support children’s intellectual and social development. Before transitioning to school leadership, Carly taught reading and language arts in independent, suburban, and urban school settings, where she was trained in Montessori methodology and place-based field studies. She also studied language, literacy, and culture at the University of Iowa, where she taught pre-service teachers about the intersections of race, culture, and identity in literacy classrooms.

Carly has presented at schools and national conferences on topics such as learning and the brain, conflict and leadership, and project-based learning and community partnerships. She has worked with schools and districts to design and deliver professional learning focused on the fundamentals of play-based learning and developmentally appropriate practice. Carly currently serves on the Board of the Sofia Center for Professional Development. She lives with her family in Evanston, Illinois, and in her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and exploring bookstores and libraries.

carly@theallianceforec.org

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Megan Lichterman

Operations Manager

Megan joins us with nearly a decade of experience working as an early childhood educator in the North Shore. She holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with an endorsement in Special Education from DePaul University. As a teacher, she made it a priority to incorporate play-based learning into her classroom’s daily routine. Megan’s passionate about nature and teaching children about the environment around them to encourage compassion and responsibility. In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time outdoors year round with her two young children and husband and volunteering at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

operations@theallianceforec.org

Molly Pope, Ed.S.

Lead Consultant, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Molly has been working with early childhood and elementary age children for over 15 years as a school psychologist. Using a neurodevelopmental relationship-based approach, she works with teachers, parents, and administrators to help build connected relationships and supportive learning environments for children. She earned her Infant Mental Health certificate from the Erikson Institute in Chicago. Molly is on staff at Winnetka Public School Nursery, as their Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist. Additionally, she provides mental health consultation to area preschools and child care settings, as well as private parent coaching and education. Her work is guided by the “Diversity-Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children, and Families”, which emphasize inclusion, equity and diversity in all settings. She lives in Evanston with her husband, two sons, and their pets. Visit her website to connect and learn more mollypopeparentcoach.com


Board of Directors

Tanya Brown

Carrie Hanke

Stephanie Joyce, Treasurer

Sarah Martay

Wendy Mayer, Secretary

Heather Rohner

Emily Rose, Vice President

Lara Scarborough, President

Caity Smith

Erika Wall

Jessica Wallace

Danielle Winson Senko