Built to Thrive 2020

Built to Thrive

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Inaugural Built to Thrive Summit

Ten years after The Children’s Movement of Florida began with a “Milk Party” tour engaging more than 15,000 Floridians all across the state, we decided to convene parents, teachers, business leaders, politicians, and state leaders to again focus on children’s well-being: We launched our Built to Thrive summit with more than 700 participants in a live, virtual event.

The pandemic times highlighted the link between positive relationships starting in infancy, high-quality early education, access to preventive health care, and financial stability for families–all critical to ensure a strong start for Florida children. And research has proven that we can expect an incredible return from investing in children and building community resilience.

Our agenda included national experts and local change makers, bridging the worlds of politics, business, and early childhood. Keynote presentations from Dr. Jack Shonkoff and Dr. Dipesh Navsaria bookended the program.

2020 Agenda & Video Archive

Opening Keynote - Built to Thrive: Promoting Equity with Early Childhood Brain Science

Jack Shonkoff M.D.

Jack Shonkoff M.D.

Julius B. Richmond FAMRI Professor of Child Health and Development at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health & the Harvard Graduate School of Education

Voices from Florida: What Does Quality Early Learning Look Like to You?

Penny Bernath

Penny Bernath

Education Director, South Florida PBS

Talethia O. Edwards

Talethia O. Edwards

Speaker, Grassroots Organizer & Coalition Builder, Toedwards & Associates Development Group, LLC.

A Legislative Perspective on Child Care

Senator Loranne Ausley

Senator Loranne Ausley

Member of the Florida Senate from the 3rd district

Representative Chris Latvala

Representative Chris Latvala

Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 67th district

What a Racial Equity Lens Can Bring to a Preschool Classroom

Nicole “Nikki” N. Martin-Bynum

Nicole “Nikki” N. Martin-Bynum

Chief Vision Keeper, Higher Ground for Us All

Early Learning as a National Security Imperative

Rear Admiral Donald P. Quinn, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Rear Admiral Donald P. Quinn, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Member of Mission: Readiness

Bosses for Babies: Business Leaders Securing the Future of Florida

Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson

President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce

Chadwick Loar

Chadwick Loar

PNC Bank Regional President for West & Central Florida

Aligning Resources to Improve Outcomes for All: Baptist Health Care and Achieve Escambia

Mark Faulkner

Mark Faulkner

Baptist Health Care President and CEO

Kimberly Krupa, PhD

Kimberly Krupa, PhD

Executive Director, Achieve Escambia

You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup: COVID-19 and Mental Health

Dr. Harleen Hutchinson

Dr. Harleen Hutchinson

FAIHM Broward Chapter Chair

Jackie Romillo, LCSW

Jackie Romillo, LCSW

Vice President of the Board of Directors, Florida Association for Infant Mental Health

Closing Keynote - A Healthy Child is Ready to Learn: Exploring the Intersection of Preventive Health, Child Development, and Early Literacy

Dipesh Navsaria M.D.

Dipesh Navsaria M.D.

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Founding Medical Director, Reach Out and Read Wisconsin

Built to Thrive Sponsors

See our summit archive

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3rd Annual Built to Thrive Summit (2022)

Our third annual summit for early childhood

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