Coordinator, Early Childhood Programs Department
Ventura County Office of Education

California Hub | USA

Regan lives in Ventura County, CA with her two amazing children and wonder pups Cooper and Obie. She is a Coordinator for the Early Childhood Programs Department at Ventura County Office of Education and part time faculty in the Early Childhood Studies Department at CA State University Channel Islands. She has been a student and professional in the field of education for over 30 years. Her path was a ragged one due to varied interest in not only the age of children she worked with, but also the focus of her work. Along the way she worked as a teacher, resource and referral specialist, family childcare advocate, site supervisor/program administrator, research assistant, coach and trainer.  

Enough about Regan’s professional timeline, let’s get into the juicy bits, her passion for the field of education. Regan took an early stumble into journalism, quickly rebounding to find the field of early education an amazing playground of opportunity, risk taking, and limitless boundaries for learning. Her curiosities center around how children learn and how teachers teach; what equally supports and challenges both in their learning moments; how educators create environments of belonging and compassion; and how they establish universal designed learning spaces for questioning, exploration, inquiry, and problem solving that focus on growth mindset, yet in the same breath they unwittingly limit them. 

Regan’s introduction to the Compassionate Systems Framework in early 2022 activated her thinking, specifically work she was engaged in designing, developing and facilitating professional development for early childhood educators and administrators supporting inclusive classroom settings. The tools offered in the introductory workshop further supported Regan’s exploration of inclusion and the development of sustainable systems for inclusive education. What are the mental models that shape the barriers we face and how can we move towards identifying, deconstructing, and redesigning our system to meaningfully support educational spaces where all children and families thrive? This remains a work in progress. 

Regan’s passions include Social and Emotional Development, STEM in ECE, Inclusion, Long Term Investigations, Teacher Beliefs and Mindsets, and Natures Place in ECE. She is a recognized coach and trainer for CA Teaching Pyramid, Beginning Together Preschool Inclusion Trainer, Outdoor Classroom Specialist, aRPy Ambassador supporting the dissemination and implementation of Division for Early Childhood recommended practices and holds her certificate in effective college instruction from The Association of College and University Educators. In her off hours she loves hiking, gardening, and travel.