"Make it Monday" forum - Leveraging Child Care for Business & Economic Growth

Children who attend a quality Early Care and Learning program are more likely to be ready for kindergarten, graduate from high school, go to college and/or gain employment and contribute to their communities. Unfortunately access to affordable quality early care and learning is difficult for parents and for local economies.

Did you know: 1) U.S. companies lose $3 billion annually as a consequence of child care related absences. 2) Employers report that child care services decrease employee absences by 20-30% and reduce turn over by 37-60%.

What is happening in Anchorage? Learn about a quick new survey designed by the 90% by 2020 Kindergarten Network to hear from Anchorage companies on what they know about ECL and how access to quality ECL may be impacting their employees. 

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MEET THE PANELISTS

Stephanie Berglund is the Chief Executive Officer of thread, Alaska’s Child Care Resource and Referral Network. She oversees a network of partner organizations helping to strengthen access to quality early care and learning in Alaska. She has experience working on social public policy, creating innovative partnerships, and improving the quality of services in Alaska. Ms. Berglund holds additional leadership positions around advancing early care and education. Her leadership positions include member of the Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating Council, member of the Alaska Early Childhood Advocacy Group, Public Policy Committee member for Child Care Aware of America, United Way 90% by 2020 and ARISE leadership steering committees. Ms. Berglund lives in Anchorage with her husband and 11-year-old daughter. She is deeply committed to improving the quality of life for children and families in Alaska.

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Tam Agosti-Gisler grew up in Anchorage and graduated from West High School. She studied at Stanford University including several of its overseas campuses and earned a BA in International Relations with honors. After graduation, Tam returned to Anchorage, received her teacher certification and later her Masters of Arts in Teaching, and spent 23 years teaching in the Anchorage School District. Ms. Agosti-Gisler was the executive director of the Anchorage School Business Partnership program and was an adjunct professor at UAA in the MAT program. She served on the Municipal School Budget Advisory Commission before being elected to the Anchorage School Board. In her second term of office, she is currently the president of the Board. Tam has been involved in many community organizations including Anchorage East Rotary and the Alaska World Affairs Council. She is an avid traveler and photographer, has visited more than 70 countries, speaks several languages and has taught English in Africa and Asia. Ms. Agosti-Gisler has been married to Hans Gisler for 37 years and they have three grown children. 
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Admiral Tom Barrett, USCG (ret.) became the President of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company on January 1, 2011.

Barrett previously served as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation and the first Administrator of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), directing the agency's national safety programs for hazardous materials and liquid, natural gas, petroleum, and other hazardous liquid pipelines. Prior to that, he served 35 years in the United States Coast Guard and attained the position of Vice Commandant, the number two position in the Coast Guard. He commanded Coast Guard operations in Alaska and the North Pacific from 1999 to 2002, emphasizing safety and environmental protection. Other Alaska tours included Kodiak and Juneau. He and his wife have lived in Alaska for 19 years.

Barrett earned a B.S. in Biology from LeMoyne College, Syracuse, N.Y., and a Juris Doctor with honors from the George Washington University. He is a Vietnam veteran. His wife Sheila is a former kindergarten teacher who taught in Kodiak and Juneau, as well as other states. They have 4 children.

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Meghan Johnson is the Director of Learn & Grow, Alaska Quality Recognition and Improvement System (QRIS). Ms. Johnson moved to Anchorage in 1992 as a Jesuit Volunteer. After her volunteer commitment she worked for the Anchorage School district as a special education teacher. She obtained a masters in early intervention at the University of Oregon and continued her career back in Anchorage where she has worked for both state government and non-profit management positions to advance the quality of early care and learning and children with special needs. Ms Johnson has extensive experience with project development and implementation of statewide research and systems designed to advance the quality of early care and learning. Ms. Johnson has served on several boards and committees and is a strong advocate for young children and their families. Ms. Johnson is an active member of the Anchorage community and continues her volunteer work with a variety of organizations supporting diversity, children and families, and the environment.

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​Chrissy Bell grew up on the Kenai Peninsula and moved to Anchorage in 2000 to finish her BA in English at the University of Alaska Anchorage. For the next ten years, she worked as a fundraiser in the Anchorage non-profit sector, including spending six and a half years as the Director of Development at the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association. In 2010, she became the Community Engagement Director at Credit Union 1, overseeing all aspects of the credit union’s community engagement efforts. Currently, she is Credit Union 1’s Senior Vice President of Communications and Culture, overseeing community engagement, marketing, training, human resources and executive administration. Chrissy has also been involved with several non-profit boards including Alaska Junior Theater, Out North, the Alaska Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Junior Achievement. She lives in Anchorage with her husband and two “fur children.”

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