
For the fourth year in a row, The Children's Movement of Florida held its virtual summit to bridge the worlds of politics, business, and early childhood. Our fast-paced, two-hour program elevated some of the most prominent local and national voices on healthy child development, early learning and literacy, and economic self-sufficiency for families.
These critical conversations with our audience of state leaders, parents, teachers, business leaders, and elected officials strengthen partnerships and inform both our 2024 legislative agenda and priorities for year-round outreach and engagement work.
2023 Built to Thrive Summit Agenda
Keynote - Mind Shift: The Next Step Toward Real Progress on Early Learning

Marica Cox Mitchell
Vice President, Early Childhood, Bainum Family Foundation
A New Lens on Early Intervention and Early Literacy

Sandra Bermudez
CEO, The Lucy Project

Shaunté Duggins, Ph.D.
Associate Director, University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning, New Worlds Reading Initiative

Heather Manley
Director of Certification, Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE)
Our Human Voice: Speaking Up for Maternal Health

Kamia Brown
Senior Director, Healthcare Transformation Sunshine Health
Engaging Florida Fathers: A State Priority in Action

Joseph Gerstenfeld
Program Manager, T.E.A.M. Dad

Jean Senatus
T.E.A.M. Dad Fatherhood Coach, Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade

Joseph Neal
T.E.A.M. Dad Coordinator

Damon Francis
Dad

Jeanette Torres
CEO, Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade

Cathy Timuta
CEO, Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions and Healthy Start MomCare Network

Faye Johnson
CEO, Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition
A Conversation with Senator Erin Grall

Sen. Erin Grall
Florida Senate
Early Childhood Priorities in the Florida Legislature

Sen. Alexis Calatayud
Florida Senate

Rep. Dana Trabulsy
Florida House of Representatives
Business Solutions to the Child Care Crisis

Kyle Baltuch
Senior Vice President of Economic Opportunity and Early Learning, Florida Chamber Foundation, Tallahassee

Rep. Fiona McFarland
Florida House of Representatives
Hosts

Madeleine Thakur
President & CEO, The Children's Movement of Florida

David Lawrence Jr.
Founder and Board Chair, Children's Movement of Florida
Resources & Links from our live chat on November 2, 2023
- Visit Sunshine Health to learn more: https://www.sunshinehealth.com/
- Learn more about the Lucy Project’s: https://www.lucyproject.org/
- Find information and resources about Dyslexia here: https://dyslexia.yale.edu and https://dyslexiaida.org/
- To learn more about New World’s Reading Initiative and the Lastinger Center’s work, visit: https://www.newworldsreading.com/fl/en/home.html and https://lastinger.center.ufl.edu/
- Find some great early literacy resources for parents here: https://www.readingrockets.org/literacy-home/reading-101-guide-parents
- Find ideas to grow phonological awareness here: https://heggerty.org/resources/blog-post/10-activities-to-grow-your-childs-phonological-awareness/
- Learn more about the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education’s work here: https://imse.com/
- The Science of Reading has been helping children achieve their full reading potential: https://journal.imse.com/what-is-the-science-of-reading/#:~:text=IMSE%27s%20approach%20allows%20teachers%20to,vocabulary%2C%20fluency%2C%20and%20comprehension
- Visit Sunshine Health to learn more: https://www.sunshinehealth.com
- Find out more about what T.E.A.M. Dad does here: https://www.healthystartflorida.com/fatherhood/
- If you want to contact your state representative with your concerns or to share any of the priorities we’ve discussed today, you can find their contact information here: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/myrepresentative.aspx
- If you want to contact your state senator with your concerns or to share any of the priorities we’ve discussed today, you can find their contact information here: https://www.flsenate.gov/senators/find
- The “fiscal cliff” is a real and present danger that can be avoided with bipartisan leadership. Read the op-ed here: https://www.childrensmovementflorida.org/news/bipartisan-leadership-florida-can-give-families-chance-prosperity
- Florida KidCare is Florida’s Child Health Insurance Program, and this year, more children from low-income families have access to it. To learn more, click here: https://www.floridapolicy.org/posts/more-children-eligible-for-floridas-kidcare-program-with-less-paperwork?emci=4025c7a7-9467-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&emdi=0e80fd2d-c069-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&ceid=6830769
- Untapped Potential Report:
https://www.flipsnack.com/flchamber/untapped-potential-fl-2023/print-pdf.html - Untapped potential video: (25 min)
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