Meet Our 2026-2027 Executive Board
The Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning (EPEL) Executive Board is composed of community leaders dedicated to improving outcomes for young children and families. Meeting approximately ten times each year, the Board provides strategic oversight, strengthens community partnerships, and helps guide the organization’s mission, vision, and long-term impact.
City of Elgin
Assistant City Manager
Gail Borden Public Library
Director of KidSpace
Chamberlain Educational Consulting
Byron Furdge
Edward Jones
Financial Advisor
Advocate Sherman Hospital
Jennifer Godinez
Non-Profit Executive/Public Policy Leader
Consultant
School District U46
Director Early Learner Initiatives
Simplifying Therapy
Founder/Owner
Kane County Health Department
Executive Director
Announcement: EPEL has added three new Executive Board Members. Meet them here. Stay tuned for more!
Meet Our Community Partners
Enriching Partnerships is strengthened by cross-sector partners committed to helping support and prepare children five and under to succeed in school and life. EPEL’s community partners share resources, services, and in-kind donations.
Partners collaborate to support early learning initiatives, volunteer time, and expertise. We appreciate our partners’ time, expertise, and efforts to bring action to the early childhood movement in a child’s first 2,000 Days of Life from Birth to Kindergarten.
- ABC Toon Town Child Care (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Advance Early Learning/Streamwood Montessori (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Advocate Sherman Hospital
- African American Coalition of Kane County (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Alignment Collaborative for Education
- AOK (All Our Kids Network) (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital
- Associates and Pediatrics, S.C. (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Aunt Martha’s Health Network Home Visiting
- Bartlett Park District Preschool
- Bartlett Public Library
- Bethlehem Child Development Center
- Birth to Five Illinois
- Blue Kangaroo Laundry ((Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Boys and Girls Club of Elgin
- Boys and Girls Club of South Elgin
- Broadway Auto Repair (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Building Families Together
- Caravel of Autism Health
- Centre Preschool
- Centro de Información (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Children of America Childcare (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- City of Elgin
- City of Elgin Police Department
- Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI)
- Community Crisis Center
- Consumers Credit Union (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Corbella Clinic
- DayOnePACT
- DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services)
- Dr. Mason, Faith, and Hoscheit Dentistry **
- Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley
- Elevate and Sustain, LLC
- Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce
- Elgin Community College
- Elgin Community College Early Childhood Lab School
- Elgin Dental Associates
- Elgin Golden Kiwanis Club **
- Elgin Hispanic Network
- Elgin History Museum
- Elgin Lions Club *
- Elgin Police Department
- Elgin Public Museum
- Elgin Township **
- Erikson Institute
- Explore Elgin Area
- Familia Dental
- Family Focus Healthy Families
- Family Services Association
- First United Methdist Church Highland Avenue
- Fit4Mom Greater Northwest Chicago
- Food For Greater Elgin (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Friendship Corner Childcare-Bartlett
- Gail Borden Public Library (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Goddard School (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Grand Victoria Foundation
- Greater Family Health
- Greenbrook Montessori-Hanover Park
- Hamilton Wings
- Hanover Park Park District
- Hanover Township (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Harvest Christian Academy Preschool Elgin
- Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren
- Highland Christian Academy Preschool
- Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
- Housing Authority of Elgin
- iGrow – Illinois
- Illinois Action for Children
- Illinois Department of Human Services
- Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development
- Ivy Early Learning Academy
- Jerri Hoffman Center/Children’s Home and Aid
- J V Consultancy, LLC
- Kane County Health Department**
- Kane County Regional Office of Education
- Kane Senior Council (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- KCT Credit Union (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Kids Above All
- Kids First Pediatric Dentistry
- KinderCare Childcare Bowes Road
- KinderCare Childcare Brewster– Bartlett
- KinderCare Childcare Main Lane
- KinderCare Childcare South Street
- KinderCare Childcare Spring Street
- Kiwanis Club of Elgin **
- Kripa Montessori Childcare– Bartlett
- Law Office of Steffen & Kelly, P.C.
- Learning Experience Child Care
- Learning Tree East Child Care
- Learning Tree West Child Care
- Literacy Connection
- Little Bear Academy Child Care
- Little Royals Preschool at Larkin High School
- Mini Maroon Preschool at Elgin High School
- Mini Steps Child Care Hanover Park
- My Recess Therapy
- Next Generation Pediatrics (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Northern Illinois Food Bank
- One Hope United Elgin Child Care
- Office of Representative Anna Moeller
- Office of Senator Cristina Castro
- Poplar Creek Public Library (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Precious Angels Child Care– Schaumburg
- Precious Tots Preschool Program– Bartlett
- Primrose School of South Elgin
- Rivers Landing Apartments
- Salvation Army Elgin
- SCARCE (School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education)
- Schick’s Crossing Preschool– Bartlett
- School District U-46 (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Second Baptist Church
- Seigle Foundation **
- Side Street Studio Arts
- South Elgin Parks & Recreation Preschool Pals – (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- St. John the Evangelist Preschool– Streamwood
- St. Paul’s United Chuch of Christ (Diaper Partner) (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Streamwood Parks and Rec
- Streamwood Park District Preschool
- Summit Early Learning
- The Learning Hills Child Care (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Two Rivers Head Start
- U-46 Parents as Teacher (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- United Way Metro Chicago **
- VNA Healthcare
- VNA Healthy Families
- Wash Smart Laundry (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- Well Child Center (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- YWCA Elgin (Basics of Greater Elgin Partner)
- YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
If you are interested in partnering to support EPEL’s vision of young children and their families in the Greater Elgin Area have equitable opportunities to thrive, please contact amberpeters@enrichingpartnerships.org
Denotes Funder **