Jennifer Lopez - Board Member

Jennifer Lopez, MS Ed. has over 20 years of first-hand experiences as a teacher, executive director, child development specialist, mentor to educators and families, and curriculum & instruction developer. Jennifer also has a background in non-profit and preschool administration, grant writing, and leadership development. She has devoted her life to working with children, families, and communities to create more equitable and inclusive programs where all people are seen, experience belonging, and never question their self-worth. Jennifer is the Early Childhood Clinical Group Leader at Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership focusing on family and adult literacy, family support, child-welfare, literacy training, and research to improve child and family well-being in South Florida.

 Prior to her current role, Jennifer served as YES Institute’s Education and Early Learning Specialist engaging participants in conversations and providing education and cultural & linguistic competency consultation on youth safety and healthy development, gender and orientation affirming practices, equity & inclusion, and communication & conflict resolution. In this role, she created YES Institute’s Bullying Prevention Program for Early Childhood professionals and youth – providing tools to engage in age-appropriate conversations around gender stereotypes, diverse families, and nurturing a community with feelings of belonging. She also served as the Executive Director of the Child Care Center, Inc at Riviera Presbyterian Church overseeing the daily operations and early childhood services for children from Infancy to Pre-Kindergarten ensuring the implementation of the school's philosophy and code of ethics to maintain a high-quality accredited program. 

Jennifer has a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology, and a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction Development. She is a member of Florida Association for the Education of Young Children’s (FLAEYC) Statewide Advocacy Chapter and was awarded the 2018 FLAEYC Member Advocate Award for her dedication to improving the quality of life for all youth and their families and leadership on bridging the gaps of educational and children’s issues at a local and state level.