About Us

Our Mission

Early Intel’s mission is to improve outcomes for young children and families, by supporting program leaders with data and professional development. 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; and
Facilitate and staff a learning community of program leaders to identify bright spots and advance the practice of CQI.

Programs collect a wealth of data. Early Intel provides the analytics, processes and support to mine this treasure and to act on it to improve the lives of children and families.

Team

Kristen Hayes

Management Training Lead

Kristen Hayes is an independent management consultant, supporting school districts, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and cities/counties with managing federal and state grant- funded programs that provide critical education, health,…

Rebecca Colina Neri

CQI Advisor and Coach

Rebecca Colina Neri is an educational consultant and Assistant Professor of the Learning Sciences at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her work focuses on the intersections of race, culture, trauma, and learning…

Kimberly Leon-Grey

Membership & 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…

Youlanda Upkins

Coach and Facilitator

As a seasoned Early Childhood Development professional, Youlanda combines her passion and talents for connecting people to learning and pathways to thrive. She has worked in grassroots community organizations serving…

Sarah Rock

Advisor on Trauma Practices

Sarah Rock JD is a former child abuse and neglect attorney, now working in prevention and early intervention. Sarah has many years of experience working in early childhood on policy…

Maritza Lozano

Curriculum Lead and Coach

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…

Cathe Kuker

Facilitator and Coach

Cathe Kuker currently serves as an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Adjunct Professor at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, teaching, guiding, and supporting cohorts of non-traditional students in on-line settings…

John Hall

Coaching Lead

John Hall is an Assistant Professor of Policy, Organizational, and Leadership Studies in the College of Education and Human Development at Temple University. Dr. Hall studies the organization of school…

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…

Peter Huffaker

Analytics Lead and Trainer

Peter Huffaker is a founding partner of CCR Analytics, a company that specializes in helping early education agencies get the most value from the data they collect. He has a…

Pamm Shaw

Facilitator and Coach

Pamm Shaw is the Vice President of Strategic Funding and Partnerships for the YMCA of the East Bay. Formerly the Director of their early childhood programs (Head Start, Early Head…

Catherine Miller

CQI Advisor and Coach

Dr. Catherine Miller is a researcher and teacher focused on the early literacy needs of minority and low-income children. Her work in Head Start began in the Oakland School District…

Amity Armstrong

Admin and Bookkeeping

Amity brings 20 years of problem solving experience to Early Intel’s administrative support and bookkeeping. She has built and run effective data, bookkeeping, social media, and management systems for consultants…

Rick Mockler

Principal & Founder

Rick launched Early Intel after serving as Chief Quality Improvement Officer for the National Head Start Association. At NHSA he staffed the Monitoring Redesign Task Force which informed the overhaul…

Marcia Durst

Meeting Planner

Marcia brings 20+ years of meeting management experience to the Early Intel team. She manages the onsite aspects of the Quality Improvement Summits and provides strategic logistical direction for the…

Larry Campbell

Facilitator and Coach

Larry Campbell has made a thirty-year career in human services, the most recent thirteen managing and serving as Executive Director of large Head Start programs with budgets over $15 million.…

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 every child participates in high quality education and services, regardless of family income, language, culture or disability.

Rigor

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

What Our Clients Say

“The Q.I. Network design is truly remarkable. It’s the most exciting thing I’ve seen in Head Start in a while and I can’t wait until our team gets really steeped in this work and starts to see the impacts on our child and family outcomes.”

Debbie Peralez
Child Start, Inc.

“The Q.I. Network felt expensive when we first applied, but now after receiving the dashboards, CQI training and continuous coaching, it definitely is one of the best values of any service we’ve purchased. We are very pleased and are renewing our membership for another year.”

Wassy Tesfa, Head Start Executive Director
Pacific Clinics

“I appreciate that the dashboards address areas that have been overlooked in the past, such as family services. The analytics connect child assessments to family needs and outcomes, giving our staff visibility across silos and into the connections between family life and child learning.”

Denise Lee, Head Start Program Director
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA)

“I’ve seen Rick’s leadership at the California Head Start Association and with NHSA, and was delighted he launched the Q.I. Network. I’ve brought him to Washington State to train our programs on continuous quality improvement and he was well received. He brings a high caliber to his work; it’s innovative, engaging and accessible. He’s serious about helping early childhood programs make a difference, while maintaining a sense of humor and sensitivity to the people he’s serving.”

Joel Ryan, Executive Director
Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP

“Rick is politically savvy and understands how to think “outside the box.” He showed leadership as an association director and had the ability to mobilize others to action. I would work together with him anytime on any project. His ethics are solid as a rock.”

Lisa Rea, President & Founder
Restorative Justice International

“Rick expresses ideas in a thoughtful and interesting way…and delivers ahead of schedule. His intelligence, depth of knowledge, and responsiveness all make him a pleasure to work with. More important, those qualities mean plenty will be eager to hear his thinking.”

Mark Athitakis, Senior Editor
Associations Now, ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership

“When Rick consulted with Attendance Works as a Senior Fellow, he offered invaluable insights and advice about how to adapt our efforts to the realities, opportunities and challenges facing Head Start programs and the early childhood field in general. Rick is thoughtful, compassionate and data driven. He approaches his work with integrity and authenticity.”

Hedy Chang, Executive Director
Attendance Works

Our Clients

Early Intel’s training conferences have drawn participants from hundreds of Head Start programs, from nearly every state in the country. Listed below, however, is a short list of clients who have engaged us for consulting, data analytics or deeper training and learning community services:

Alaska Rural CAP

Attendance Works

Child Start, Inc.

Kitsap Community Resources

Long Beach USD

First Start Partnerships for Children and Families

Davis School District Head Start

Adams County Head Start

Michigan Head Start Association

Mosaic Network

Neighborhood House (Seattle)

Pacific Clinics

Region 9 Head Start Association

Merced County Office of Education

Community Action of Allegan County

The Unity Council

Sacramento Training and Employment Agency

Sierra Cascade Family Opportunities

Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP

Wu Yee Children’s Services

Child Advocates of Blair County

Institute for Human and Social Development, Inc.

Total Community Action, Inc

Connect with us to receive occasional resources and updates.

About Us

Our Mission

Our Values

Care

Inquiry

Equity

Rigor

What Our Clients Say

Our Clients