In this special episode of the Excellence in Childcare podcast, we welcome top experts from the Early Childhood Education (ECE) community across North America. Our esteemed guests, Vernon H. Mason Jr., Rachel Supalla, Julie Roy, and Lynn Wenger, will join us to discuss compliance and risk management in the industry. We’ll also delve into key findings from our 2024 Compliance & Risk Survey.
The episode is hosted by Cindy Vian, 1Place’s VP of Operations in North America.
Meet Our Experts
Vernon H. Mason, Jr. M.Ed., The Nest Schools
Vernon H. Mason, Jr., M.Ed., is an acclaimed author, humorist, and keynote speaker with over 24 years of early childhood administration experience. He holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood Administration from National Louis University. Vernon co-founded a childcare center in 1991, growing it to four centers today with 85 staff members and 500 children. Known for his engaging presentations, he shares practical insights at national conferences. Currently, Vernon serves as Senior Vice President of Growth and Development at The Nest Schools and leads Directors Leadership Solutions, supporting childcare administrators with resources and consulting services.
Rachel Supalla, Discovery KidZone
Rachel Supalla is an esteemed Early Childhood Education expert with over 23 years of experience, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Administration. Co-founding Discovery KidZone in 2009, she and her partner, Alix Hall, now oversee nine childcare centers spanning two states. Rachel is renowned for her innovative educational methods, highlighted in various publications. As a Montessori-certified educator, she crafted a distinctive curriculum for children from infancy through school age. Rachel passionately mentors and coaches in the ECE field, contributing to the Child Care Success Company and the Child Care Success Academy.
Julie Roy, The Julie Roy
A seasoned entrepreneur and childcare expert with over 29 years of industry experience, Julie Roy began by founding a small Montessori preschool, expanding it to seven locations before moving to Omaha, Nebraska. There, she rapidly grew a small group of schools to over 10 locations in three years, eventually selling to a multinational provider. As General Partner at Roy Holdings Real Estate and Equity Partner Group, Julie leads commercial real estate projects and advises clients on real estate and business acquisitions. A master-certified financial coach and consultant, she specializes in childcare deal analysis, evaluation, and exit planning. Julie is passionate about servant leadership and enjoys global travel with her family, dedicated to fostering success and positive community impact.
Lynn Wenger, The Compliance Alliance
The founder and president of The Compliance Alliance, Lynn has dedicated over 30 years of her career to helping leaders build processes and automated systems aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness. She believes in the transformative potential of automation and technology to bolster compliance, safety, and quality in Early Childhood Education. Lynn is committed to prioritizing compliance as a means to ensuring a higher standard of care and quality for families and staff alike.
In this episode, we cover:
– Overview and importance of the 2024 Compliance & Risk Survey
– Compliance as a positive and market differentiator
– Frequency of compliance training
– Systems and tools for compliance and risk management
– Building a culture of accountability
A sneak peek inside the episode:
“In today’s workforce, there needs to be some incentive for completion and for the continuation to maintain, sustain, a level. No longer do people do things because it’s in their job description, or because someone told them to do it. They need to understand the big picture.” – Vernon H. Mason Jr.
“It’s important that the compliance also builds. So every expectation that you have within your company and within each location, a lot of people are working to make sure that all of those expectations and that compliance is met.” – Rachel Supalla
“It’s worth mentioning the training and sustainability of those compliance procedures. It’s important along the way to ensure that you’re not dragging people with you. You’re actually having them be part of the process and help you coin those guidelines.” – Julie Roy
“We need to talk about compliance the way lots of other industries do it. It’s a badge of honor to showcase your compliance practices. When you have a compliant school, it’s something that gives a sense of safety to the staff and to the families.” – Lynn Wenger
Listen to the conversation:
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