Early Childhood

Jaci is an Extension Educator on the Early Childhood Team leading a multi-state grant focusing on the Cultivating Healthy Intentional Mindful Educators (CHIME) program. Jaci holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane University in Crete, NE. Jaci provides training to childcare providers and families in the Southeast area of Nebraska. Jaci is the Program Coordinator for a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families grant on Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-being. Since the fall of 2000, Jaci has been working with children birth to 8 years of age, including eight years of center-based childcare director experience.

Hayley is an Extension Educator on the Early Childhood Team serving Cass, Lancaster, and Otoe Counties. Originally from Lincoln, Hayley earned a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in Human Development & Family Studies. She then moved to Fort Collins, Colo. and graduated with a master’s degree in Human Development & Family Studies, with a concentration in Early Childhood. Currently, Hayley is in the doctoral program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the Child, Youth and Family Studies department. Hayley has over 15 years of experience teaching, coaching and leading early childhood programs, including coaching the Malone Early Achiever’s Preschool Program and working at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Children’s Center as the Assistant Director.