Bosses for Babies

How This Boss Makes an Impact for Children in Florida

Under Amanda Kelkenburg’s leadership, the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County has become a model for family-friendly workplace practices and community leadership. She has championed employer engagement in the Child Care Tax Credit and the School Readiness Match Program and created a Family-Friendly Workplace Toolkit to support businesses in strengthening their own policies for working parents.

Internally, Amanda has implemented practices that reflect her belief in supporting staff as whole people. The Babies at Work Program allows new mothers to bring their infants to work for up to seven months after maternity leave. She also established a partnership with AdventHealth to provide an on-site nursing room and introduced a hybrid work model with flexible scheduling to better support employees with children and caregiving responsibilities.
Through her vision, innovation, and deep commitment to families, Amanda models purpose-driven leadership—raising the bar for early learning advocacy, employee well-being, and community impact.

Bio

Amanda Kelkenburg has built a distinguished career within the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) system, where she has consistently advanced the quality and accessibility of early learning for children and families. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Studies from Empire State College and an MBA from Medaille College.

As CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County, Amanda partners closely with the Board, leadership team, and staff to drive strategic, data-informed initiatives that improve outcomes for young learners. She remains a passionate advocate for early learning professionals and the families they serve, working every day to strengthen the county’s early childhood system through collaboration, innovation, and community investment.