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About Us

About Us

EARLY INTEL’S MISSION

Early Intel enables ECE managers and directors to navigate change and achieve superior child and family outcomes.

We accomplish this through a three part strategy:

Organize the metrics and analytics that enable programs to understand their quality opportunities.

Provide training and support for programs to implement continuous quality improvement.

Facilitate and staff a learning community of program leaders to identify bright spots and advance the practice of CQI.

OUR VALUES

Care

Care and commitment to children, families, and the staff serving them is at the foundation of our work.

Inquiry

Alongside the programs we serve, we are always asking “how can we improve child and family outcomes?”

Equity

We work to ensure that all children and families get the support they need to overcome barriers and close the achievement gap.

Rigor

The only way to know if one is improving is through measurement, thoughtfully and with discipline.

Q.I. Network Members

  • EAlbina Head Start
  • EChild Start Inc. / Napa - Solano
  • EChild Start, Inc. / Wichita
  • EChildren's Institute
  • ECommunity Action Marin
  • EDouglass Community Services Head Start
  • EEagle County EHS
  • EEasterseals Southern California
  • EEncompass Community Services
  • EEpiscopal Children's Services, Inc.
  • EFirst Start Partnerships for Children and Families
  • EGLEAMNS Head Start
  • EIzzi Early Education
  • EKings Community Action Organization
  • EKitsap Community Resources
  • ELong Beach Unified School District Head Start
  • EMercer County Head Start/Early Head Start
  • EMission Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
  • EMonterey County Office of Education
  • EMonticello Area Community Action Agency
  • EMurray Board of Education
  • ENeighborhood House Association
  • ENew St Paul Head Start Agency, Inc.
  • ENorthcoast Children's Services
  • EPacific Clinics Head Start
  • EPlacer Community Action Council, Inc.
  • ERegion 10 Education Service Center
  • ERosebud Sioux Tribe
  • ESETA Head Start
  • ESonoma CAN
  • ESouth Central Missouri Community Action Agency
  • EThe Centers for Families and Children
  • EThe Unity Council
  • ETri-County Head Start
  • EVerner Center for Early Learning
  • EWild Plum Center for Young Children
  • EWu Yee Children's Services
  • EYMCA of the East Bay

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Our “Early Insights” blog offers occasional updates and analysis for early childhood program leaders, at the intersection of data and quality improvement.

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OUR TEAM

Our team is composed of seasoned Head Start directors, analytics experts and improvement trainers and coaches with a shared passion for helping program leaders and improving the lives of children and families.

Leadership
Operations
CQI Coaches
Advisors
Trainers
All
Dr. Shannon Calderone (Coach)

Dr. Shannon Calderone

CQI Coach

Bio

Dr. Shannon Calderone

CQI Coach
Dr. Shannon Calderone is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership & Sport Management at Washington State University. In this role, she has taught classes on leading for school and organizational improvement, human resource and fiscal management, as well as research methodology and practice-based inquiry. She has likewise worked with a number of districts within the state of Washington on an assortment of improvement initiatives as well as led statewide workshops for education leaders on the implementation of improvement science and design-based principles within their respective schools and districts.

Dr. Calderone’s scholarly work focuses on the importance of social cohesion to school success. To this end, she is most interested in understanding the drivers of trust and risk perceptions among educators and students, as well as the impact of these perceptions on educational decision-making and change efforts.

Dr. Calderone earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in education from the University of California, Los Angeles. She holds a B.A. in History from Georgetown University.

Julie Kallio (Coach)

Dr. Julie Kallio

CQI Coach
Bio
Julie Kallio (Coach)

DR. JULIE KALLIO

CQI Coach
Julie Kallio is an innovation specialist at the Breck School where she leads participatory design, coaches educators, and provides program and technology support, all with the goal of empowering educators to lead systems change. Julie graduated with her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying how Networked Improvement Communities can build educational systems for innovation and improvement. She was the lead researcher on the Personalization in Practice (PiP) research team and former research director for the PiP-Networked Improvement Community, an IES grant-funded position to bring together teachers to do collaborative design work around emerging practices. Her research interests include research-practice partnerships, design, innovation and improvement, social networks, and physical learning spaces. Julie previously taught in outdoor education and independent schools, leading technology integration, teaching science, and dorm parenting.
Dr. Maritza Lozano

Dr. Maritza Lozano

CQI Training Lead

Bio

Dr. Maritza Lozano

CQI Training Lead
Dr. Maritza Lozano is a researcher and educator committed to the design of environments that support equitable learning for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Currently an Assistant Professor in the Educational Leadership Department at California State University, Fullerton, Dr. Lozano teaches courses in instructional leadership where principal candidates learn to use improvement science to bring about change within their own organizations. Dedicated to working in partnership, Dr. Lozano regularly collaborates with leaders, instructional teams, and scholars, in an effort to impact students’ learning trajectories and improve school-based learning experiences. Dr. Lozano brings 23+ years of professional experience working with school communities across the United States to her work with the Q.I. Network.

Dr. Lozano earned her Ph.D. in education from the University of California, Los Angeles. She holds an M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Reading, K-12, from California State University, Los Angeles and a B.A. in Spanish Literary Studies from Occidental College.

Rebecca Colina Neri - CQI Trainer and Coach

Dr. Desiree Del-Zio

Director of Services

Bio

Dr. Desiree Del-Zio

Director of Services
Dr. Desiree Del-Zio is a proven management systems and operations leader with a track record for creating high-functioning teams. Her professional development is grounded in organizations serving children and families. Notable leadership roles include operations management, regional management, evaluation and monitoring, program design and improvement, and federal oversight. Dr. Del-Zio's most recent professional work was with the Office of Head Start Federal Monitoring contract. During her service to the contract, she facilitated or managed approximately 400 federal reviews.

Dr. Del-Zio earned a Master of Arts Degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management and an Education Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership. In her years of academic development, Dr. Del-Zio received a lifetime membership in Mu Lambda Nu and Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Societies for academic excellence in public service and education studies. Dr. Del-Zio is certified in Diversity and Inclusion and Nonprofit Management and Leadership.

As the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Consultant for D.E.&C Consulting, Dr. Del-Zio offers services such as Federal Monitoring Review Preparation, Gap Analysis and Change Implementation, Leadership Coaching, Training and Technical Assistance, and customized services that meet organization's unique learning and growth development needs.

Rick Mockler

Rick Mockler

Principal and Founder

Bio

Rick Mockler

Principal and Founder
Rick founded Early Intel with a mission of helping early childhood leaders strengthen the quality and impact of their work, through the effective use of data. As Principal, he works with member programs and the Early Intel team to develop and refine analytics, training and coaching that advance program quality. He is committed to the goal of helping programs to work smarter, not harder, as they serve children and families.

Rick previously served as the Chief Quality Improvement Officer at the National Head Start Association (NHSA), and as Executive Director at the California Head Start Association. He has built and led several nonprofit and social ventures, including CoHousing Partners and Catholic Charities of California. He holds a BA in Political Science, MA in liberation theology, MPA in organization change and a certificate from the UCLA Anderson School’s Head Start Management Fellows Program.

April Morris

April Morris

Analytics Lead and Trainer

Bio

April Morris

Analytics Lead and Trainer
April Morris is a founding partner of CCR Analytics. Prior to starting CCR Analytics in 2006, April was a Senior Data Analyst at child care non-profits Crystal Stairs and Child Development Resources of Ventura County. She specializes in quantitative and statistical analysis for the child care sector. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics, with an emphasis in Quantitative Analysis and undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Economics from the University of California Santa Cruz.
Kimberly Leon-Grey

Kimberly Leon-Grey

Senior Program Manager

Bio

Kimberly Leon-Grey

Sr. Program Manager
Kimberly Leon-Grey currently works in program management and logistics but has formerly served as a case manager and training coordinator in the mental health arena. She has experience working with mentally ill and chemically addicted adults in day programs, and shelters in Brooklyn, NY and Atlanta, GA. She has worked as an after-school Group Leader and was previously certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Most recently, she worked as the Logistics Coordinator for ChildPlus Software where she was responsible for planning and coordinating events such as the Training Scramble!!.

Kimberly earned her B.A. in psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. She will bring her years of experience in human services and logistics to the Early Intel team as the Membership and Program Manager.

Pamm Shaw

Dr. Marissa
Kalu-Thompson

CQI Coach

Bio

Dr. Marissa Kalu-Thompson

CQI Coach
Dr. Kalu-Thompson brings over 20 years of teaching, instructional and improvement coaching, and educational leadership to her role as an Improvement Coach at Early Intel. Her educational career began in Toronto, Ontario Canada as a 4th/5th grade teacher, and has spanned to the United States, in Atlanta, Georgia, San Francisco/Oakland, California, and currently Seattle, Washington. During her dynamic career in education, Marissa has had the opportunity to hold several roles in the service of children, teachers, and community members: specifically, a classroom teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal and most recently a Senior improvement coach within both urban and suburban school districts. Believing in the power of continuous improvement as a practice for growth and development for both students and educators, Marissa continues to strive for full equity for all students, but particularly those that continue to be harmed by inequitable systemic practices and beliefs.

Dr. Kalu-Thompson earned a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario), an Honors Bachelor of Social Work from York University (North York, Ontario), a Master’s in Education in Curriculum, Teaching and Learning from the University of Toronto/OISE, (Toronto, Ontario), and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership that researched the impact Emotional Intelligence may have on the leadership of K-5 Principals), from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. In her spare time, reading (for pleasure), creative writing, visiting new restaurants and traveling keep her cup(s) of happiness filled!

Rick Mockler

Rebecca Trivax

Trainer and Coach

Bio
Rebecca Trivax

Rebecca Trivax

Trainer and Coach
Rebecca’s specialty is data management and quality assurance for early learning and Community Action agencies. Her background includes contract management, compliance, and system design. She is the founder of TRIBECCA SYSTEMS, where she and her team offer solutions for organizational management, identify funding opportunities and engagement, assist in data and database management, design policy and procedure, implement new agency programs, produce community assessments, annual and funder-related reporting and quality assurance systems.

Rebecca holds a Master’s in Public Health and has bilingual fluency in English and Spanish. She is passionate about her work to assist Head Start agencies in all-things data.

Linda Sheriff (Coach)

Linda Sheriff

CQI Coach

Bio

Linda Sheriff

CQI Coach
For the last 15 years, Linda has provided guidance and technical assistance to school and community leaders on projects that improve the education, health, and well-being of students and staff. Most recently, she was the Deputy Director of the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the George Washington University where she directed projects that advanced school-community collaboration, led Communities of Practice and provided technical assistance to school staff on improving family engagement efforts and school behavioral health supports, and supported district-wide CQI efforts for improving school mental health systems. Her experiences span school health, education, nonprofit communication, publishing, teaching English in Slovakia, and developing educational products for the Smithsonian Institution. Linda has a B.A. in English Literature from Colgate University and an MEd from the University of Virginia. She is currently working on her dissertation on school leadership for the whole child for her EDD in Administration and Supervision at the University of Virginia.
Holly DeBell

Holly DeBell

Data Coach
Bio

Holly DeBell

Data Coach

Holly DeBell brings over 20 years of experience leading initiatives that have had a profound impact on the lives of vulnerable children and their families. Her leadership with Head Start management systems, program design, school readiness, monitoring, and community collaboration, combined with her experience as a former teacher and content manager, provides valuable direct service insights and guidance. Holly's expertise in leveraging processes to streamline and standardize systems ensures effective communication and supports high-functioning teams. 

As a federal review lead for the Office of Head Start, Holly has managed large-scale programs and teams. Her tenure on the OHS monitoring contract included organizing, facilitating, and evaluating federal monitoring events for programs serving up to 6,000 clients and receiving as much as $70 million in funding. She also directed review teams, providing subject matter expertise to promote quality, fair, and consistent monitoring outcomes across the United States. Holly's passion for preparing children for kindergarten and developing their lifelong love of learning is evident in her professional outcomes and is truly inspiring. 

Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.
~ Mark Twain