Zeynep Ercan, M.A., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education
Co-Director, Early Childhood Leadership Institute, Center for Access, Success, and Equity
Zeynep I. Ercan is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Rowan University College of Education. She also co-directs Early Childhood Leadership Institute, a professional development and research avenue in early childhood formed within Center for Access, Success, and Equity at Rowan University. Her research agenda includes:
- Culturally and linguistically diverse children, teachers, families and communities within the field of early childhood education (ages 0-8),
– Educational experiences of children and families from unique immigrant communities such as Turkish and Burmese;
- Best practices for culturally responsive teaching and intellectual development,
– The ways innovative pedagogies and practices such as 3D technologies and science/literacy inquiry projects can respond to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms;
- Professional development of practitioners and leaders in early childhood education,
– Coaching and mentoring early childhood practitioners and mentoring; and
– Dispositional development.
Dr. Ercan’s research has appeared in academic journals such as: Young Children, Race, Ethnicity and Education, Childhood Education, International Journal of Science Education, Early Childhood Education Journal, and Diaspora, Indigenous and Minority Education Journal. Dr. Ercan has been actively serving educational and academic communities on the local, national and international levels.
Dr. Ercan is the recipient of 2011 CEPP Dean’s Faculty Accomplishment award, and 2010 Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs: Council of Diversity Award, 2014 The Indiana Early Care and Education Award by Indiana Association for Education of Young Children, and Wall of Fame Award for Teaching and Advising in 2017 for her contributions to the professional development of early childhood practitioners.
E-mail: ercan@rowan.edu
Phone: (856) 256-4500
Kelley J. Perkins, Ph.D.
Co-Director, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Kelley J. Perkins serves as the Co-Director of the Early Childhood Leadership Institute. She brings to the Institute over 20 years of experience in the field as a teacher, state and federal technical assistant and faculty member/researcher. Dr. Perkins earned her Ph.D. from the University of Delaware in Human Development and Family Studies, where her research focused on professional development and early childhood policy. Dr. Perkins currently works in the following areas:
- She consults on both state child care policy and practices as well as early care and education program policies and practices, strategic planning, systems building, leadership development, and professional development for early care and education teachers and for technical assistance providers;
- Dr. Perkins specializes in evaluation research, focusing on quality improvement initiatives and opportunity assessments for supply and access in different state and local contexts; and
- She designs and implements new research-based infant and toddler courses in higher education settings as well as specialized professional development initiatives and research projects related to the care and education of infants and toddlers.
E-mail: perkinsk@rowan.edu
Jen Cortes, M.S.
Assistant Director, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Program Coordinator, Certificate of Graduate Studies in Early Childhood Coaching and Technical Assistance, Department of Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education
Jen Cortes serves as the Assistant Director for the Early Childhood Leadership Institute within the Center for Access, Success and Equity in the College of Education at Rowan University. She also coordinates the Certificate of Graduate Studies in Early Childhood Coaching and Technical Assistance within the Department of Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education and is an instructor within the program. She utilizes her 20 years + experience in the field as a family child care provider, technical assistant, supervisor, trainer, researcher and coach to create and customize professional development and supports to best meet the wide range of program needs. Jen’s interest areas include strengthening self-efficacy and transformative learning experiences that result in transformed practice and is at the heart of her work within the institute through:
- Intentionally provide experiences that promote transformative learning, strengthen self-efficacy and encourage ECLI participants to see themselves as professionals, advocates, learners and leaders within the field;
- Facilitating Communities of Practice to provide a forum for networking and support;
- Creating and facilitating professional development opportunities for supporting growth and develop of supervisory staff;
- Gathering data through various strategies to measure staff growth over time and responding to participant needs; and
- Providing virtual coaching sessions and reflective sessions to build individual capacity and promote implementation of the Institute’s professional development framework.
Jen has presented research findings and conducted workshops at national conferences and published an article in NAEYC’s Young Children on her work in supporting family child care providers within a QRIS. Jen is a NLI Results Trained Coach and was also the recipient of Delaware’s 2007 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Early Care and Education for her role as a family child care provider.
E-mail: cortesj@rowan.edu
Phone: (302) 562-7741
Kate Bunoza, M.S.
Coach and Trainer, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Kate Bunoza serves as a Coach and Trainer for the Early Childhood Leadership Institute within the Center for Access, Success, and Equity in the College of Education at Rowan University. She is passionate about the importance of fostering healthy emotional, social and physical development of young children and empowering the leaders, caregivers, and communities that share a role in the outcome for success.
Kate earned her Master of Science Degree in Clinical and Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Therapy from Chestnut Hill College. She enjoys applying her 10+ years of extensive study and experience in the area of early childhood behavioral and mental health as an intern therapist at a private practice, a mental health professional in a classroom setting for children with autism, a coach for foster care youth exploring transitions into educational settings and/or workforce, and a corporate trainer to her current work in virtual coaching, training development and facilitation, and project leadership.
E-mail: bunoza@rowan.edu
Nicole Hylton, M.S.
Coach and Trainer, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Nicole Hylton is currently a Coach and Trainer for the Early Childhood Leadership Institute within the Center for Access, Success, and Equity in the College of Education at Rowan University. She has worked in the human services field for over 25 years, accumulating a broad spectrum of experience, including statewide program development and leadership, adult instruction, and course development.
Nicole earned her Master of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Early Childhood and Human Services from the University of Delaware. Her focus and interest is building the capacity of leaders in the early childhood education and human services fields.
Nicole has been a presenter at both state and national conferences and published an article in NAEYC’s Young Children on the topic of staff retention in childcare programs.
Nicole’s work within the Institute includes virtual coaching, training development and facilitation, and project leadership. She is also an Adjunct Instructor in the Human Services Department at Delaware Technical and Community College.
E-mail: hylton@rowan.edu
Phone: (302) 270-2788
Nannette Kalman, M.S.
Program Specialist and Coordinator, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Nannette Kalman serves as the Program Specialist & Coordinator for the Early Childhood Leadership Institute within the Center for Access, Success and Equity in the College of Education at Rowan University. She is also an Instructor and University Supervisor for the Early Childhood Education Program within the Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education Department in the College of Education at Rowan University.
Nannette received both her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education (K-8) and her Master of Science Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Black Hills State University as well as her Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) from the University of Cambridge. She brings 20 years of experience teaching in both domestic public schools and private International educational institutions.
Nannette’s work within the Institute includes supporting and serving as communication liaise for ECLI’s Principal Investigator and Rowan University, managing all daily operations and navigating their internal processes. She collaborates with team members on projects and trainings, updates and maintains ECLI’s learning platform, manages project members and clients, helps with marketing of ECLI activities and COGS programs, and contributes to professional publications by researching best practices and resources.
E-mail: kalmann@rowan.edu
Phone: (856) 256-4500
Ebonyse Mead, Ph.D.
Consultant, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Ebonyse Mead is currently a consultant for the Early Childhood Leadership Institute within the Center for Access, Success, and Equity in the College of Education at Rowan University. For 18 years, Dr. Mead has worked in communities to improve the health and educational outcomes for racially and ethnically diverse children and their families. Since 2016, Dr. Mead has provided training on racial equity with a particular focus on examining structural barriers to educational equity, implicit racial bias, and culturally responsive instruction to the early childhood workforce.
Dr. Mead is a Certified Family Life Educator and holds a Doctor of Education in Early Childhood and a Masters in Human Services from Concordia University Chicago. In 2015, Dr. Mead completed a Masters in Family Studies from Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Mead has presented nationally on racial equity in early childhood and has published articles on implicit bias and culturally responsive family engagement in early childhood and family science publications.
Dr. Mead’s work within the institute includes facilitating trainings and communities of practice that focus on cultural humility and responsiveness, implicit biases and promoting equity in early care and education. She is deeply committed to creating brave spaces to talk about structural racism and promote equitable and just programs in early childhood. She is also a Clinical Instructor in the Birth to Kindergarten teacher education program at Georgia Southern University and president of the Educational Equity Institute.
E-mail: mead@rowan.edu
Danelle Torio, M.A.
Project Assistant, Early Childhood Leadership Institute
Danelle Torio serves as a project assistant for the Early Childhood Leadership Institute within the Center for Access, Success, and Equity in the College of Education at Rowan University. She is passionate about providing quality education and services for all children as well as fostering relationships with important stakeholders such as leaders in education, caregivers, children, and communities to provide a comprehensive plan for success.
Danelle received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Childhood Studies from Rutgers University-Camden where she was a research assistant in the Youth Mental Health Lab. She holds a Masters degree in School Psychology from Rowan University and is currently pursuing an Education Specialist Degree in the School Psychology program. Danelle serves as a Behavioral Program Specialist providing services in homes, schools, and clinics to teach daily living skills, socio-emotional skills, and social skills to children with exceptional needs.
Danelle’s work within the institute includes supporting different trainers and the assistant director from ECLI collaborating on different projects within the institute. She utilizes data analysis, curating reports for the trainers, as well as assisting in different tasks that help run the internal structure of the institute.
E-mail: toriod83@students.rowan.edu
