Archived News | Return to News Center

March 26, 2013

Director of ULM Child Development Center joins education panel

Emily Williamson, instructor in Curriculum, Instruction and Leadership, was a guest panelist at The Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana's first annual "What Works: Birth to Adolescence" Conference this month at the Monroe Civic Center.

Williamson is also the director of the University of Louisiana at Monroe Child Development Center.

Williamson joined Lisa Schlakman, Mary Crandall, Sherry Gurisco, and moderator Maureen Gallagher in a panel discussion, “Developing an Early Childhood System.”

The panel explored various models and partnerships that are critical to creating a more efficient and inclusive system for all children and their families.

The ULM Child Development Center has participated in diverse model partnerships with the Ouachita Parish School System LA-4 preschool program for the past six years.  

"I feel very honored to be able to share information with others about the model diverse delivery program we have had here at ULM for the past six years," said Williamson.

"As education changes in our region and throughout the state, diverse delivery programs will be a different way of delivering educational services that hopefully will play a larger role in our early childhood system."

Dr. Charles Zeanah, internationally recognized for his leadership in infant mental health, was the keynote speaker for the conference.

Zeanah is currently Sellers Polchow Professor of Psychiatry, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Vice Chair for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Tulane University School of Medicine.  

Williamson also recently attended the Southern Early Childhood Association 64th Annual Conference in Mobile, Ala.

Williamson served on the conference committee as exhibits coordinator. "Hand in Hand: Children and Nature," was the theme of the national conference.  

The Southern Early Childhood Association was started in 1948 and has over 20,000 members.

The association focuses on bringing together preschool, kindergarten and primary teachers and administrators, caregivers, program directors, and individuals working with and for families to promote quality care and education for young children across 13 states in the South.

PLEASE NOTE: Some links and e-mail addresses in these archived news stories may no longer work, and some content may include events which are no longer relevent, or reference individuals and/or organizations no longer associated with ULM.