From the Co-Presidents – the 2025-26 Year at the NY Zero to Three Network

This year was a time for reflection, networking, and action on the Network’s Board.   We started the year with small group discussions about who we were as an organization and why we exist.  When we started the organization more than 30 years ago, we were one of the very few opportunities for early childhood professionals to network and deepen their knowledge base and skills.  We concluded that even though today there are many more professional development opportunities, especially in NYC, our unique position as a multi-disciplinary organization who offers a rich array of workshop and conference presentations is still an important resource for early childhood professionals and made us proud to be a part of this organization.  

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Board meetings:  We have board meetings on Zoom every other month.  In addition to conducting the business of the organization, they are opportunities for board members to learn from one another.  In January,  incoming board member and chair of the Policy/Infant Leadership Circle (ILC) Committee, Rachel Roberts, presented on the work of the Infant Leadership Circles around the state.  ILCs create a network of engaged early childhood professionals in local communities.  The monthly meetings of the ILC members provide opportunities for networking and shared learning.  In March, board member Mary Comtois presented on her work in Buffalo and Erie County coordinating two coalitions:  Starting Line Healthy Births and Thrive by 5.  What was especially striking in her work was how these coalitions multiplied the strengths of individual organizations through collaboration and the development of learning communities.  Both Rachel and Mary are powerhouses and we look forward to future opportunities for shared learning.  

Advocacy:  One of the missions of the board is to support policies that promote the health and well-being of young children and their families.  Our advocacy focus this year was driven by the urgent need to address disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected vulnerable families and widened gaps in early childhood services. The Board engaged members in additional training and advocacy discussions and activities to address critical early childhood issues that can profoundly impact the development and well-being of infants, toddlers, their families, and the providers who care for them by promoting equitable access to high-quality early care and education and enhanced resources for caregivers and providers. By stepping into the advocacy arena, the Board aimed to influence lawmakers and stakeholders to prioritize and invest in early childhood initiatives that lay the foundation for lifelong growth and opportunity by monitoring issues such as the proposed salary increases for early intervention providers, increasing child care supports for working families, and addressing child poverty via an increase in the child tax credit. The Board’s advocacy focus underscores a commitment to creating a supportive environment that nurtures healthy development and equity from the very start of life.

Networking:  Participation in Network events provide wonderful opportunities to network with like-minded professionals who serve young children and their families.  In our workshops, we have started to include opportunities for small group discussion and processing so that participants have another opportunity to get to know their colleagues.  Our annual conference was a hybrid in-person and Zoom event that included an extended (hour-long!) networking breakfast before the speakers took the stage.  It was a huge hit, as participants got to know one another, talk about their work, share their concerns, and make new contacts in the city.

Future:  We look forward to another year of productive work supporting NYZTT members with educational opportunities, networking events, and advocacy on behalf of infants, toddlers, their families and those who care for them.  Our terms as co-presidents are coming to an end.  It has been a wonderful and fruitful collaboration.  We would like to introduce the new co-presidents:  Vicki Light and Jennifer Saba.  They are taking on these new roles after having done a stellar job as co-chairs of the Network’s Program Committee.  We thank them for their crucial service to the Network and look forward to their continued leadership in these new roles.  

Save the date for our upcoming networking event: Thursday, June 18, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM  at Gallery Henoch, 555 W 25th Street, NY, NY 10001, with Guest Speaker Paige Bellenbaum, Co-Founder of the Motherhood Center and national expert on Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders.

We are also thrilled to announce that our annual Levenback honoree will be Dr. Beatrice Beebe, eminent psychoanalyst and parent-infant researcher, interviewed by board member Dr. Suzi Tortora.  Look for more information about date and venue later in the summer.

Margot Kaplan-Sanoff & Martha Edwards, Co-Presidents