Child Care Advisory Council

Child Care Advisory Council

The Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC) is a group of invited stakeholders who assist the Office of Early Childhood of the Illinois Department of Human Services by providing input on specific issues, questions and concerns related to child care. The Advisory Council is not constrained by legal requirements or preoccupied with governance matters. However, it does operate within a set of guidelines outlined herein -

Advisory Council Requirements

Note - information related to the Ad Hoc Committee for Smart Start Child Care has moved to this page -

Child Care Advisory Council Ad Hoc Committee

Meetings

To attend any of the meetings below, simply click the appropriate meeting room link below to join the meeting.

  • Upcoming Meetings

    • July 23, 2025 - 1pm - 3:30pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • October 22, 2025 - 1pm - 3:30pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting

  • Past Meetings

    • July 19, 2023 from 1:00-4:00pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • October 25, 2023 from 1:00-4:00pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • April 24, 2024 - 1pm - 4pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • July 24, 2024 - 1pm-4pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • October 23, 2024 - 1pm - 4pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • January 22, 2025 - 1pm - 3:30pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting
    • April 23, 2025 - 5:30pm - 8pm - Child Care Advisory Council Meeting


Council Members

Name Organization Committee
Carie Bires Start Early CCAP Policy
Cerathel Burgess-Burnett City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services CCAP Policy
Ayesha Calhoun Brain Box Literacy Academy and Educational Services CCAP Policy
Vanessa Castro DCFS Early Childhood Family Engagement
Pam Childress Family Child Care Owner/ Provider
Mykela Collins Parent Family Engagement
Leslie Cully Illinois Department of Human Services Family Engagement
Nina Duenas El Valor Cantu Family & Children Center CCAP Policy
Stacie Ealey Tazewell County Health Department CCAP Policy
Brenda Eastham Child Care Resource Service SDA 10 Urbana CCAP Policy Co-Chair
Shauna Ejeh Illinois Action for Children SDA 6 Cook County Family Engagement Current Co-Chair of CCAC
Amy Emerson YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, SDA 4 DuPage/Kane Quality and Workforce
Tamera Fair Premier Child Care Academics Family Engagement
Cicely Fleming Birth to Five Illinois Family Engagement
Maricela Garcia Gads Hill Center Family Engagement
Mike Garner-Jones IDHS CCAP Policy
Ann Grecek Erie Neighborhood House Family Engagement
Dan Harris INCCRRA Quality and Workforce - Past Chair of CCAC
Vicki Hodges McKinney-Vento Homeless Education, ISBE Family Engagement
Hollie Hoole IDHS Quality and Workforce
Carisa Hurley Early Childhood, ISBE Quality and Workforce
Jenna Kelly Caregiver Connections Quality and Workforce
Ruth Kimble Austin Child Care Providers Network Quality and Workforce
Lori Longueville Early Childhood Consultant CCAP Policy
Carolyn Marmolejo IDHS CCAP Policy
Marcy Mendenhall SAL Family and Community Services SDA 7 & 8 Quality and Workforce Co-Chair
Janice Moenster Brightpoint Quality and Workforce
Lauri Morrison-Frichtl IHSA Family Engagement Co-Chair
Gwndolyn Moss Illinois After School Network Quality and Workforce
Allison Perkins Caldwell Allison's Infant & Toddler Centers Family Engagement
Laurie Rhodes Lincoln Land Community College Child Development Center Quality and Workforce Co-Chair
Trish Rooney IDHS Current Co-chair of CCAC
Karen Ross-Williams Christopher House Quality and Workforce
Brynn Siebert SEIU Quality and Workforce
Tina Staley Kids Kingdom Preschool Quality and Workforce
Teri Talan National Louis University McCormick Center for Early Childhood Quality and Workforce
Chris Tokarski Illinois Action for Children SDA 6 Cook County CCAP Policy Co-Chair
Edie Washington DCFS Licensing Quality and Workforce
Wendy Williams IDHS Family Engagement
Michelle Wood IDHS Quality and Workforce

IDHS Administrative Support

CCAC Administrative Contact: Julius Starks - julius.starks2@illinois.gov