Click here for an overview of SECA's Strategic Plan.

 

 

SECA Board of Directors

• The SECA Board is a representative body of 16 members.

• One (1) of those members, the President, is elected by a vote of the membership.

• One (1) member, the President, serves as President-Elect and Immediate Past-President, before and after their term as President.

• Thirteen (12) of the members are elected by their state associations to serve as State Affiliate Representatives on the Board. They represent the interests of their state affiliates during Board meetings.

• Two (2) of the members are elected by the Board of Directors and serve as Members-at-Large. Nominations for these positions may be submitted by the membership.

 

All members except the President serve 3-year terms. The President serves one year as President-Elect, two years as President and one year as Immediate Past-President. The Board members represent a wide diversity of professionals from the early childhood field and are charged with ensuring the continued success of the Association in meeting the needs of its members and the children and families of the South.

 

The Board of Directors meets twice a year, in the spring at the annual conference and in the fall. Other meetings may be called as necessary. Minutes of the meetings are available to members upon request to the SECA office.

 

Your SECA Board of Directors

 

President (2024-2025)
Crystal Campbell
South Carolina

 

I have been blessed to be able to experience and serve in many educational capacities. Here are a few: School District Five of Lexington/Richland Counties-Early Childhood Coordinator; Teacher Specialist in Allendale for SDE; Early Childhood Specialist in Dorchester District Two Schools; Teacher in Charleston County and Dorchester County Schools; Senior Instructor-College of Charleston; Adjunct Professor- Trident Technical College and Midlands Technical College; Education Specialist for Berkeley/Dorchester Head Start; Child Care Resource & Referral-Quality Coach, and owner and operator of CYC Educational Consulting, LLC.

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I retired in 2011 from Lexington 5. As the Executive Director of Dorchester County First Steps, my career has come full circle for I was instrumental in bringing First Steps to Dorchester County by writing the first grant for implementation and serving as the first appointed position from District 2.

I love my family (and am the proud grandmother of Tirrell Jr.), my church, (New Jerusalem Triumphant Church) and my work (Dorchester County First Steps).

 

 

President Elect (2025)
Judy Prine
Hattiesburg, MS

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Judy has been a member of SECA since joining the Louisiana Early Childhood Association (ECA) student chapter at Louisiana Tech University in 1979.  Along with the Louisiana ECA, Judy has been a member of the Oklahoma ECA.  She became a member of the Mississippi Early Childhood Association (MsECA) in 1988.  Since joining MsECA, Judy has served in leadership roles at the local and state level including the Presidency of MsECA.  

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Additionally, Judy has served on the SECA Board for six years and as the secretary of the SECA board during three presidential administrations.  During her career in early childhood education, Judy served as a center director, kindergarten teacher, college instructor, and career counselor at both public and private organizations. 
 

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Alabama (2018-2026)
Richard Hardison
Killen, AL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arkansas (2025-2027)
Janice Carter
Jonesboro, AR
 

 

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Florida (2024-2026)
Barbie Perdomo
Miami, FL
 

 

With almost 25 years of experience in early childhood education, Barbie has held a variety of positions including those of educator, program director, owner, mentor, assessor, evaluator, consultant, and advocate. Barbie, a first-generation college graduate, feels that education is a lifelong pursuit and that a child's passion for learning starts in the early years. As such, early childhood educators bear enormous responsibility for the education of ALL children. She believes that the vital role that early childhood education professionals play in society and their contribution to the fundamental building blocks of children's learning and development are still not well acknowledged, thus there is still more work to be done. 
 

Dedicated to improving professional development, encouraging program participation, and supporting best practices in early childhood education, she is a relational leader and educator who is passionate about addressing the social-emotional and developmental needs of young children by advocating for educators' professional development and the joint efforts of all stakeholders.  
 

Dividing her time between Florida and North Carolina, Barbie enjoys spending time in the mountains, reading by the river, gardening in her Miami home, and listening to country music. She is married and has three children, who are her greatest pride and joy. 

 

 

 

Georgia (2025-2027)
Laura White

With over 25 years of dedicated service in the early childhood education field, Laura has made a lasting impact by driving sustainable change through her work as an early childhood educator coach, supporting teachers and child care administrators in building stronger, high-quality learning environments. She has also taught Early Childhood Education courses at the collegiate level and served as a certified teacher trainer. Laura has presented at both local and national conferences, sharing her expertise and advocating for meaningful improvements in the field. Currently, she serves as the Director of Operations for CCR&R at Quality Care for Children. Laura is also a board member of the Georgia Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (GACCRRA), and her passion for supporting early childhood educators through high-quality professional development and workforce initiatives continues to drive sustainable change.

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Kentucky (2025-2027)
Maria Rutherford
 

Dr. Maria is a professor of IEC at a local Bluegrass Community College.  On a daily basis, she is lecturing to a diverse group early childhood professionals who are on different levels of professionalism, ethical backgrounds and a variety of cultures.   Maria has been a higher education teaching professor for 18 years.   She has served in early childhood education since 1997 and is in her 39th year of teaching.

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Louisiana (2017-2024)
Chris LeJeune
Lafayette, Louisiana
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mississippi (2023-2028)
Gena Puckett
Tupelo, MS
 

 

Gena Puckett, EdD serves as Education and Training Specialist for the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Ashworth College, a Master of Science in Early Childhood Studies from Walden University, a Doctor of Education in Early Childhood Education from Walden University. Gena has experience in the early childhood profession for over 30 years. She has classroom experiences as a teacher in private childcare centers and Head Start. Gena's experiences also include positions as a center director, technical assistant, early childhood education coach, field supervisor, and trainer throughout the state of Mississippi. 

 

 

Oklahoma (2023-2028)
Sarah Albahadily
Edmond, OK
 

 

Sarah began her education career teaching middle school science and soon found herself joining the school's administration as Dean of Students. During her time as an educator, she discovered AdvancEd (now Cognia) and began accrediting schools all over Oklahoma, New York and Michigan. Sarah discovered Primrose Schools during her time accrediting, and has found the Early Childhood Education arena to be incredibly rewarding. Sarah has a passion for training, coaching and mentoring teachers and staff, so they can better support the children and families in their communities. Sarah is known for her leadership, energy, ethical standards and hardworking nature. She loves working with her team as they strive to make a difference in the communities they serve.

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South Carolina (2021-2026)
Vaudrien Ray
Lexington, South Carolina
 

Vaudrien holds an EdS Degree in School Psychology and is the owner/director of Ruby’s Academy Preschool and Child Care.

"My goals as an early childhood advocate are to stress the importance of early childhood education, promote best practices among educators, and work closely with parents as their child's first teacher."

 

 

Tennessee (2025)
Connie Casha
Tennessee
 

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Texas (2025-2027)
Mary Harper, PH.D.
Corpus Christi,Texas

Dr. Harper facilitates collaboration between her aspiring educator students, local families, and community organizations through community-driven initiatives like Books, Balls, and Blocks, the Read to Lead Preschool Summer Camps, and the Week of the Young Child event. These programs not only enrich learning experiences for young children, but also provide TAMU-CC students with hands-on opportunities to develop their teaching skills and interact with families. 

 

 

 

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Virginia (2023-2025)

Cindy Brown
Portsmouth, VA

 

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West Virginia (2025-2027)

Kristy Ritz
Clarksburg, WV

Kristy Ritz has had a long career in early childhood education and advocacy. As the first Executive Director of the West Virginia Association for Young Children (WVAYC), she has helped shape the direction of the state's early childhood sector, overseeing advocacy efforts and initiatives that benefit both children and families. Her role as Executive Director marks a significant leadership position in a nearly 50-year-old association. Kristy previously served as the Program Director at Choices Child Care Resource and Referral, where she led a team of 23 employees and oversaw a budget exceeding $1 million. She has hands-on experience in early childhood education from her time as a Head Start Lead Teacher and child care staff member. Her academic credentials include an MBA from Salem University and a B.S. in Child Development from Fairmont State University.

 

 

 

Member-at-Large (2023-2028)
Kelly Carmody
Mississippi
 

 

I am especially passionate about family childcare. Fourteen of my 35 years in early childhood education has been providing one-on-one mentoring and support to family childcare providers in Mississippi.  Family childcare offers families the option of a small group setting, where siblings can stay together while simultaneously meeting the needs of families with unconventional work hours.  In rural parts of Mississippi, family childcare is the only option for many working families. No matter what the type of childcare setting, the most important aspect is the children.  Providing children with a language-rich, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environment enhances and fosters young minds and provides them with a solid foundation to build upon.

 

 

Member-at-Large (2021-2026)
Jared Totsch
Evansville, IN
 

 

Jared Totsch is the current Director of Early Learning for St. Vincent Early Learning Center. Jared has been a Coach, teacher and Director of Pedagogy during his career. Jared is also an adjunct instructor teaching early childhood coursework for the University of Southern Indiana. Jared has earned degrees in the field of education from IVY Tech, the University of Southern Indiana and Ball State University.