UCLA Head Start Management Fellow
Alumni & Early Intel
The Fellows Network
Since 1991, over 1,700 directors and managers have participated in the UCLA Head Start Management Fellows program, and implemented improvement projects designed during their time on campus. For many Fellows, this experience whets their appetite for learning has inspired an alumni network and related initiatives.
The Fellows alumni network is an informal group of Head Start leaders that embrace the work of improvement, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Network activities include UCLA’s listserv, alumni organized Zoom calls, and ad hoc gatherings.
Management Fellow Alumni Launch Early Intel
In 2018, several Head Start Management Fellow alumni founded Early Intel, a consulting, training and analytics firm that supports early childhood leaders. The Early Intel team is composed of former Head Start program leaders, veterans from the federal review system, and improvement coaches with doctorates in educational leadership.
Early Intel has become a go-to resource offering management content emphasizing innovation and quality improvement. Early Intel coaches support local management teams with a range of tools (e.g., process mapping, data visualizations, etc.), along with training and coaching.
Early Intel’s Head Start Q.I. Network is a mastermind community of program leaders seeking to advance their teams effectiveness. The Q.I. Network regularly features improvement projects and exemplary practices, such as:
- Understanding teacher morale issues that drive staff retention
- Streamlining enrollment to lighten workloads and increase numbers
- Analyzing child incident patterns to reduce risk
- Addressing parental assumptions that drive chronic absence
- Using data analytics to work smarter, not harder
Early Intel is working with the Management Fellows Network to address a need in ECE, exposing a new generation of leaders to the mindset and resources that will drive innovation, improvement, and exemplary practice.
Fellows Talking about Early Intel
“Early Intel’s Q.I. Network has helped us look at program systems with a different perspective. We now have the tools at hand to dive deep into our data, what is working and what we can adjust for improvement. We (started with Family Advocates and) are beginning to apply the processes to other systems within the program.”
Jill Brenner
Head Start Director & UCLA Management Fellow Kitsap Community Resources, Washington
“Early Intel’s team of knowledgeable and experienced education leaders and specialists along with innovative data management and analysis experts empower Head Start managers to continuously improve program quality and service outcomes. Early Intel ‘teaches programs to fish’ with cutting edge gear and expertise.”
Alan Guttman
Retired Head Start Director & UCLA Management Fellow, Virginia
Upcoming Fellows Event:
Join us in Washington D.C. for a reception on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Early Intel is a proud sponsor of this gathering.
For more information, check out Early Intel’s training, coaching and consulting services.