One Year in the Life of the Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships Program
August 20, 2015
Mishaela DuranBy Mishaela Duran, Director, Office of Regional Operations
Whenever I join a new team or organization, I reflect on my first week at the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, where I met some teenaged boys who were committed to our care. After asking them what their daily life was like, I was shocked to learn that they were locked in individual cells for 22 hours a day, only allowed in the common space for two hours. They were not receiving any educational, behavioral health, workforce development or other services that would support their rehabilitation and reentry into the community.
Soon after, I was working on developing community-based programs so that these young men and their families could receive high quality services in their homes and neighborhood. I worked alongside other local agencies, including child welfare, mental health, and health to implement many of HHS’ recommended programs such as Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care. Having worked on a major systems reform that tapped into federal and local funding streams, I understand the importance of federal leadership, tools, and support that state and local agencies urgently need to implement programs that change the life trajectory for youth and families, producing positive outcomes.
With that experience, I am so honored to join the Administration for Children and Families as the director of the Office of Regional Operations, working alongside our 10 regional administrators in our field offices to enhance our strategic partnerships with state, territorial, local and tribal government agencies. Outside of ORO’s core function of relationship management, this year’s priorities will include Affordable Care Act outreach, family and youth homelessness, connecting newly arriving populations to ACF programs, and human trafficking.
Prior to joining ACF, I served in a number of executive leadership roles, including chief of staff at the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the Executive Director of the National Parent Teacher Association. I have worked for local and state government agencies, including the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services and the Arizona Governor’s Community Policy Office, where I assisted in the implementation of major reform initiatives, evidence-based programs and federal grants.
I began my career advocating for children, youth and families and have worked on federal legislation and best practices spanning a wide-range of issue areas, including youth homelessness, child welfare, juvenile justice, welfare, child nutrition, and workforce development. I earned my bachelor’s degree at Yale University and a Master’s in Administration, Planning and Social Policy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
I have a personal and professional connection to ACF’s mission, having grown up in one of our nation’s poorest counties in Arizona, where my family was involved in the child welfare system. ACF’s programs provided a safety net for my family. Having worked for state and local agencies implementing urgent reforms in human services, I understand firsthand how important it is to provide tools and resources to agencies to improve outcomes for our nation’s children.
I look forward to working with my colleagues at ORO and the program offices at ACF to advance our mission to foster the health and well-being of our most vulnerable children and families.
