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Amber Tankersley, coordinator of Pittsburg State University’s early childhood and child development programs, was chosen to serve on the Kansas Early Childhood Recommendations Panel.
The statewide panel is part of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund.
According to their website, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund’s mission is, “improving the well-being of Kansas children and youth.”
Tankersley began as an assistant professor at Pitt State in 2008 in child development, a program that is part of the Family and Consumer Sciences Department, and is now a full professor. Tankersley is also the director of Little Gorillas Preschool, which serves approximately 30 children.
The Kansas Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, which is overseen and funded by the Children’s Cabinet, will provide guidance and recommendations for early childhood programs and services throughout the state of Kansas.
“The panel is part of the Children’s Cabinet and Trust for the state of Kansas and… the panel will help… guide the programs and services related to early childhood for the state,” Tankersley said.
Tankersley is eager to begin working with the Panel.
“I’m really excited,” Tankersley said. “I’ve always worked in the field of early childhood and I just feel that this is a great way for me to contribute what I’m passionate about on a different level.”
Her appointment to the panel is for one year and Tankersley hopes to use what she already knows to help further early childhood programs as well as learn from others that were appointed to the board and make connections.
“I want to see what the goals are and see how this group of people can come together to make sure that early childhood experiences are available for young children and that they are good quality experiences,” Tankersley said.
Tankersley’s passion has always been early childhood. Her appointment to the panel allows her to meet others in similar professions and network.
“I think I’m looking forward to working with other people who early childhood is their main focus,” Tankersley said. “It’s neat to have people from all over the state get together who all share a common goal to see how they do things in their area of the state or in their particular line of work within working with children. So, I’m excited just to get a good blend of people together, certainly make some new contacts, and have some new people that I can rely on as experts in the field.”
Though it has not yet been put into action, Tankersley will oversee the early childhood unified and birth to kindergarten program within the panel.
