About the Conference: Keynote Speakers

Dr.  Barbara Board to Deliver Keynote Address

The Virginia Head Start Association is pleased to welcome an outstanding leader from one of its partner organizations as the keynote speaker at its annual training conference on April 8. Dr. Barbara Board, District Director, Northeast District, Virginia Cooperative Extension, will speak on the topic, "Navigating the Seas of Change" at the opening plenary session.

Head Start programs around the Commonwealth unfailingly refer to Virginia Cooperative Extension as one of their most faithful community partners, bringing valuable resources to the children and families we serve.

Head Start and Cooperative Extension share many things in common: both address the whole needs of families; both accomplish great things with few financial resources; both have seen shrinking budgets over the years as the need for services have increased. In our society, Dr. Board says, "if these organizations did not exist, we would have to create them!"  Dr. Board will bring to VaHSA her knowledge and experience of leading organizations through change.

As director of the Northeast District of VCE, Dr. Board provides oversight to 22 counties and cities. This involves oversight for the District fiscal and personnel management, volunteer development and extension education program development. Her community involvement has included Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Amelia County Parks and Recreation Commission, Rotary International Study Exchange Team, and 4-H Centers around Virginia. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta and has served in several leadership capacities with that public service sorority. 

Dr. Board holds a Bachelor of Science in Textiles and Clothing in Business; a Masters of Science in Consumer Education, and a Ph.D. in Adult Learning and Human Resource Development. In addition to her official and volunteer duties, she is much in demand as an inspirational and motivational speaker.

As Heads Start launches out into yet another sea of change, we look forward to hearing Dr. Brown’s words of wisdom, humor, and  challenge.

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