Vice President and Secretary Elected 2023

2024 Nominees will be posted after April 15, 2024

---

Darla Wells- Vice President

Educational background and relevant employment related to children and families.

I am currently in my 16th year of teaching. I hold a Bachelor's degree from Evangel University in Elementary Education and Special Education. I also hold certification in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education and Library Media Specialist. I hold a Master's in Educational Administration from Missouri Baptist University, as well as a Specialist's degree. For ten years, I was a parent educator with Parents as Teachers and also a Director for this program. For 7 years, I have been a First Steps provider. I have worked for the Missouri Humanities as a Read From the Start presenter. Currently, I am an Early Childhood Special Education teacher in a peer model room.

Leadership and/or committee experience within any organization.

Currently, I serve as a member-at-large with MOAEYC and a local chapter leader for the Rolla Chapter of MOAEYC. Within the education field, I have sat on several committees and am currently serving as a member of our Building Leadership Team. 

 Why are you interested in serving on the MOAEYC Governing Board?  What skills and qualifications will you bring? What excites you about this position?  

I have sat on the Board for several years and am excited to serve the board in a bigger role. I am really excited about the direction the board is going and am interested in helping collaborate with universities to get student chapters started and to increase membership across the state of Missouri. Now more than  ever it is important for early childhood parents, teachers and caregivers feel supported in the role they have in the  development of the children they serve. I am passionate about early childhood education and even recently was elected to serve on my local school board I reside in and attended K-12 grade, Newburg Public Schools.

---

 

Ronda Chesney - Secretary 

Educational background and relevant employment related to children and families.

I have been in the field of early childhood for many years and have a deep passion for it.  I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree with an Emphasis in Early Childhood and a Master's Degree in Education from Baker University as well as Certification in Early Childhood   Special Education. I have taught in preschool and K-2nd grade. I have also served as a consultant for the Missouri Preschool Program Learning Communities Project and a facilitator for the Project Construct National Center.  My current role as a faculty member in the early childhood department at Missouri Western State University allows me to support pre-service teachers and observe in various early childhood classrooms across the state. My observations allow me to see the quality of early childhood in many different settings.  

Leadership and/or committee experience within any organization.

I have been a member of the Quality and Accreditation Committee for the Success by Six program in St. Joseph for several years. I am also a board member for United Cerebral Palsy in St. Joseph.

Why are you interested in serving on the MOAEYC Governing Board?  What skills and qualifications will you bring? What excites you about this position?  

I am interested in becoming a member of the MOAEYC board to become more involved in the quality of learning for young children in Missouri. I would like to gain more knowledge myself and recruit others to join in the efforts of the organization to improve learning for all young children in our state. At Missouri Western, we have started a student organization of MOAEYC this semester. Our students are excited to begin the new chapter. If I were on the board, I could bring current information to them and hopefully their enthusiasm would encourage more students to be involved in the organization.