At Seattle Foundation, Chief Impact Officer Lindsay Goes Behind brings this ethos to life. A member of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, she began her career as a social worker, later leading a Native women-led foundation that grew from a staff of three to fifteen with Seattle Foundation’s early support. “They believed in us before others did,” she recalls. “That’s why when the Chief Impact Officer opportunity came up, I thought, why not? It’s a full-circle moment, to now be in a position to extend that same trust to others.”

Meeting Urgent Needs in Times of Uncertainty

That trust is the backbone of Seattle Foundation’s impact giving team, where community priorities define the work. “We do more than move money,” says Lindsay. “We show up in ways communities ask us to — sometimes that’s funding, sometimes it’s risk mitigation training, advocacy skill-building, or simply making space to be together.”

Director of Policy and Civic Action Kelsey Mesher echoes this approach. With a background in transportation and public health, she has long understood how systemic factors shape daily lives. “Transportation, housing, childcare — these are all social determinants of health,” she explains.

At a recent gathering celebrating her appointment, longtime friend and colleague Dr. Ben Danielson offered a heartfelt introduction, reflecting on Sheila’s decades of leadership and dedication to children and families. “It’s not just about what we are going through right now,” he said, “it’s about how we are going to navigate a path back together. In order to regrow, redevelop, regain and reconnect in ways that are regenerative and make us better than we were before,” Danielson stated, “you need leadership with a vision and a sense of purpose who can carry you through that time, and that is Sheila in every single way that I have known her. She’s a visionary, and yet her feet are so clearly planted on the ground with practicality, pragmatism, and a thoughtful approach.”

As Executive Director, Sheila will lead Start Early Washington’s 18-person team in supporting families through home visiting and advancing early learning and care policy and advocacy across the state. Her vision, she shared, “is not just about narrowing the spaces and outcomes for one group relative to another, but to make sure that every single child, every living being, every combination of young and old and family have a chance to grow together and thrive and shine.”

Reflecting on her own journey, Sheila added, “I believe in being a fierce advocate for our babies, our families and our communities. And I believe in our communities—that our communities know what they need. I want to be a good listener, to learn what our state, families, and communities are telling us, and to be an advocate for them.”

Start Early President Diana Rauner joined in welcoming Washington’s new leader, sharing the importance of Sheila’s leadership at the helm of Start Early Washington, saying “These are challenging times, but there is no better time to be in the work than when our children and families need us the most. And we are so lucky to have Sheila as a champion and a leader at this time.”

Washington’s Parents as Teachers network was well represented at this year’s conference. Vanessa Gudino, Parent Educator, and Vanessa Frias, Community Health Services Program Manager, from Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic’s Parents as Teachers Affiliate, delivered an outstanding workshop showcasing the power of collaboration between their PAT team and their Parents as Teachers Advisory Committee. Their session illustrated how family voice and leadership can be elevated through intentional partnerships—drawing a room full of engaged participants and earning high praise, with one attendee sharing, “This is one of the best sessions I’ve attended.”

The conference also featured the Parents as Teachers Indigenous Outcomes Learning Community during the PAT Indigenous Learning and Partnership session, which brought together Tribal affiliates from Hawaii, Washington state, North Dakota, and New Mexico. They were joined by research and evaluation partners, state leads, and facilitation teams from INPEACE / Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services, Start Early Washington, Suquamish Tribe’s Changing Tides, Helping Hands Home Visiting Program, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Home Visiting Program and Healthy Family. Strong Communities from Native American Professional Parent Resources (NAPPR).

The Learning Community’s goal is to deepen understanding of Indigenous communities implementing Parents as Teachers and to reflect that learning in the services and supports provided to Indigenous families. Rooted in PAT’s core values—learning and growth, relationships, community responsiveness, integrity, and accountability—the Learning Community also centers its work on valuing Indigenous knowledge, authenticity, enduring commitment, impactful collaboration, and advancing Indigenous self-determination. During the session, participants explored themes of meeting with intention, creating a shared vision, and building infrastructure for cultural integration, strengthening and sustaining meaningful partnerships that honor and uplift Indigenous families and communities.

Congratulations to the presenters and Washington State PAT team members for their leadership, innovation, and dedication to providing quality services, supporting families, and building strong partnerships that embody the spirit of “Reaching New Heights.”

Built around the themes of Affirming a Sense of Self and Kermit the Frog’s “It’s Not Easy Being Green” , a song that has become an anthem for embracing difference, especially for children and adults who feel marginalized or unsure of their place, the song’s message offers simplicity that makes it accessible, with emotional depth that gives it lasting power.

The day opened with a powerful Land and People Acknowledgment shared by Whitney Nakamura of United Way of King County, grounding participants in community and purpose. Planning for the event began in July, with new and returning committee members shaping a day that blended creativity, cultural connection, and practical tools.

Books, core to the ParentChild+ model, anchored each activity, with selections organized around themes of Love and Intention, Joy and Connection, Resilience and Self-Esteem, and Uniqueness and Pride. Many titles were sourced from First Book and offered in multiple languages, expanding access and inspiration for coordinators and families alike.

Dr. Nnenna Fanciamore, PhD, from the national ParentChild+ team, delivered a standout session titled “Demystifying Challenging Behaviors in Young Children.” Her ‘Connect before correct’ approach resonated deeply, offering practical, compassionate strategies for everyday family engagement.

Throughout the day, participants paused for guided reflection, led by State Director Pamela Williams and Marcella Taylor, Senior Program Manager for PC+, who encouraged thoughtful journaling using the event’s signature “green” notebooks and frog pens, a nod to the color’s ability to foster creativity and create a sense of psychological safety, “Green can signal openness and receptivity, making it a powerful color in spaces that aim to foster inclusion and belonging.”

The afternoon featured a joyful “Sing and Share” activity, where sites debuted original songs inspired by the day’s book themes, many performed in the diverse languages spoken across the network.

Another core goal of the day was to equip the team with tools to transfer their learning directly to the families they serve—bridging professional development with real-world impact. This intention was woven throughout the sessions, ensuring that every strategy, song, and insight could be adapted for home visits and family engagement. By centering practical application, the event affirmed the team’s role not just as learners, but as knowledge carriers and relationship builders.

The day closed on a high note, filled with energy, laughter, and heartfelt connection. Even after eight hours together, participants were still eager to share ideas, songs, and reflections—proof of the strong sense of community and purpose that defines ParentChild+. The event served as a celebration of the meaningful work happening across King County and a reminder of the joy that comes from learning, growing, and reflecting together.

What Parents Need to Know

The most common question we hear from families is: “Is my body making enough milk?” This concern often stems from seeing babies feed frequently, sometimes every hour or two.

Here’s the truth: newborns have stomachs the size of a marble and are designed to feed often. This frequent feeding isn’t a problem; it’s exactly what supports optimal brain development.

Breastfed babies digest milk faster than formula-fed babies, so they wake more often. This is healthy and normal. Each feeding provides not just nutrition but also opportunities for the responsive interactions that build secure attachments and cognitive skills.

You can observe brain development in real-time. Watch for your baby’s rooting reflex as they turn toward the breast, eye contact during feeding, early cooing and babbling and their growing ability to recognize and find the breast independently. These are milestones showing cognitive growth in action.

This knowledge is especially crucial for families in communities left under-resourced who may not have access to lactation support or comprehensive prenatal education. By providing this information, we help close the opportunity gap from day one.

Whether you breastfeed for one day or two years, whether you supplement with formula or exclusively formula feed, you’re supporting your child’s development. What matters most is responsive, loving care which is the foundation of healthy brain development and the core of Start Early’s approach to early childhood.

Resources

Skin‐to‐skin contact the first hour after birth, underlying implications and clinical practice

The Prenatal Period | Better Brains for Babies

Nutrition and brain development in early life

Your Baby’s Amazing Brain- Parents As Teachers Currriculum

Prenatal Exposures to Environmental Chemicals and Children’s Neurodevelopment: An Update

New Research Traces Breastfeeding Benefits 10 Years Into Childhood

La Leche League USA

WIC-Women Infant Children:

Apply for WIC

Illinois Department of Human Services FAQ

The Real Brain Builders

Research shows that certain interactions during feeding directly support cognitive development, and these happen with any feeding method:

Eye contact creates neural pathways for social connection and emotional regulation. Whether breast or bottle, making face-to-face contact during feeding builds your baby’s capacity for relationships.

Responsive feeding teaches your baby that their communications matter. When you recognize and respond to hunger cues, you’re supporting cognitive skills like cause-and-effect thinking and trust.

Skin-to-skin contact regulates your baby’s temperature, heart rate, and stress response while promoting bonding. This works beautifully during bottle feeding too—simply remove your shirt and hold your baby against your chest.

Talking, singing and reading during and after feeding stimulates language development. Your baby’s brain is building language pathways whether they’re at the breast or bottle.

Why Support Systems Matter More Than Feeding Method

Through the work with families across the country, Sandra has observed that successful feeding, whatever the method, requires strong support systems. Parents with encouragement from partners, family members, healthcare providers or programs like Healthy Parents & Babies are more confident and less stressed.

Stress matters because babies read parental cues and emotional states. When feeding becomes a source of anxiety rather than connection, it can interfere with the very bonding that supports cognitive development. Sometimes prioritizing parental mental health by choosing formula or supplementing is actually the best choice for your baby’s brain development.

Resources

Whatever your feeding journey looks like, Start Early is here to support your family. Explore some additional resources to help support you in your journey below:

Skin‐to‐skin contact the first hour after birth, underlying implications and clinical practice

The Prenatal Period | Better Brains for Babies

Nutrition and brain development in early life

Your Baby’s Amazing Brain- Parents As Teachers Currriculum

Prenatal Exposures to Environmental Chemicals and Children’s Neurodevelopment: An Update

New Research Traces Breastfeeding Benefits 10 Years Into Childhood

La Leche League USA

WIC-Women Infant Children:

Apply for WIC

Illinois Department of Human Services FAQ

Governor Bob Ferguson’s May 20th action on the budgets and final policy bills sent to his desk marked the official end of the 2025 legislative session. By all accounts, this was an extremely challenging year with a staggering state revenue shortfall; a new Governor and a slew of new legislators to become acquainted with; and a number of tragic deaths that struck the legislative community.

In the end, the Legislature was able to close the state’s $16 billion four-year budget gap by enacting a budget that included a mixture of new revenue as well as delays, reductions and cuts to existing services and programs.

For early learning, the state’s fiscal crisis necessitated delays to anticipated Fair Start for Kids Act expansions, including:

• Delay of expansion of eligibility for Working Connections Child Care to 75% of State Median Income to July 1, 2029;
• Delay of the ECEAP entitlement to the 2030-31 school year; and
• A one-year delay for the child care center rate increases for children in Working Connections Child Care (pushing the rate increase start to July 1, 2026, rather than the expected date of July 1, 2025).

Other budget savings legislators found in the early learning space came from increases in family co-payments for Working Connections Child Care; elimination of funding for the Early ECEAP program (with maintenance of the program protected); and reduction in funding for program supports such as the Child Care Complex Needs Fund, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and the Dual Language Rate Enhancement.

Despite the difficult budget environment, the adopted budgets did include new investments in early learning, including:

• Nearly $100 million in Capital funding for the Early Learning Facilities Fund, including $51 million for competitive grants, $9 million for minor renovation grants and $3 million for the new Emergency Fund created by newly passed HB 1314 (Callan and Abbarno).
• $383.7 million to fund the Collective Bargaining Agreement for Family Child Care providers which includes funding to increase the reimbursement rate for Working Connections Child Care to the 85th percentile of the 2024 Market Rate Survey beginning July 1, 2025.
• ECEAP providers will see a $13.9 million investment to support a 5% rate increase for full-day slots and a nearly $4 million investment for 250 full-day slots.

Looking for more detailed information? Check out Start Early Washington’s Policy and Advocacy Resources Page. There you can find our Final Analysis of Early Learning Items in the 2025-27 Budgets, 2025 Early Learning Facilities Fund Legislative Review and Final Early Learning Bill Tracker.

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Held at the nation’s capital over two full days, with an additional day offering training sessions, the 2025 conference brought together over 30 representatives from Washington and hundreds more from across the country to reflect, connect, and celebrate 60 years of ParentChild+.

What made this year’s conference especially meaningful was its unapologetic commitment to authenticity. Presenters and participants alike shared how refreshing it was to be in a space where they didn’t have to edit their language or soften their message to comply with shifting national narratives.

“At other conferences, we’ve had to change how we talk about our work to fit new edicts. But not here.” shared Pam Williams, ParentChild+ Program Director for Washington State, “At ParentChild+, we were encouraged to speak our truth about our families, our communities, and the challenges we face. That validation was deeply felt.”

This spirit of honesty and empowerment extended across every session, workshop, and conversation. Attendees explored issues like supporting neurodivergent children within a 30-minute home visit model, serving immigrant and marginalized communities under increasing social and economic pressure, and navigating the fear triggered by recent executive orders. And they did it surrounded by peers who not only understood but shared their struggles and their hope.

One standout moment came from the Congolese Integration Network, a Seattle-based agency that led a moving workshop. ParentChild+ was their very first program, and they’ve since grown into a cornerstone of support for their community. The session highlighted how the program helped mothers forge bonds with children under complex circumstances, becoming a gateway to deeper healing and empowerment.