Virginia Early Childhood Foundation President Joins PNC Grow Up Great Advisory Council

Virginia early childhood education leader Kathy Glazer has joined the PNC Grow Up Great Advisory Council. As president of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) since January 2012, Kathy promotes innovative partnerships to ensure that children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed in school, the workforce and life.

“Kathy brings a wealth of knowledge from a career devoted to early childhood education policy and advocacy, both in her current nonpartisan, public-private role, as well as previous government positions,” said Sally McCrady, chair and president of the PNC Foundation. “She deeply understands that the prosperity of our communities hinges on access to high-quality early education, and her expertise will help us ensure that children and families across PNC’s footprint can thrive.”

PNC Grow Up Great was established in 2004 as PNC’s signature philanthropic initiative. Nearly 20 years later, the now $500 million comprehensive, bilingual program helps prepare children, particularly underserved children, from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. It has supported more than 8 million children and provided $225 million in grants to nonprofits to advance high-quality early childhood education.

At the heart of PNC Grow Up Great, since its inception, has been the Advisory Council. Comprised of experts who influence the field of early childhood education, the Council provides ongoing strategic direction and guidance for PNC Grow Up Great. The Council offers insight that positions PNC Grow Up Great as a leader in advocating for early childhood education, identifying opportunities for strategic partnerships, tracking progress and ensuring that all efforts reach, resonate with and benefit young children in their early development phases.

Previously, Kathy worked with the national BUILD Initiative as director of state services, providing strategic advice to states advancing their early childhood policies and agendas. From 2005 to 2009 she served in Virginia state government positions including executive director of the governor’s office for Early Childhood Policy and director of the Office of Early Childhood Development, an office created to span early childhood programs, staff and funding streams across state agencies. She served on the National Academies’ committee to develop the Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education report. Kathy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s from Virginia Commonwealth University.

“Kathy is well-known to everyone in the commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the early childhood education community, thanks to her work to build a sustained focus on school readiness and ensure that high-quality early education is accessible to every family,” said PNC Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Richard Bynum, who also serves as chair of the board of VECF. “Her work to create equity and opportunity is transformative, and we’re thrilled to have her expertise on the PNC Grow Up Great Advisory Council.”

Kathy joins an accomplished group of national early education experts spanning a wide variety of industries.

PNC Grow Up Great Advisory Council Members 
Barbara A. Wasik, Ph.D. 
PNC Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Education, Temple University 

Maureen Barber-Carey, Ed.D. 
Barber National Institute 

W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D. 
National Institute for Early Education Research 

Barbara Bowman, M.A. 
Erikson Institute 

Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D. 
Early Childhood Consultant 

Robert DeHaas, Ed.D. 
Dallas College 

Marcia Egbert 
The George Gund Foundation 

Deforia Lane, Ph.D. 
Early Childhood Consultant 

Wendy Lewis Jackson 
The Kresge Foundation 

Michael L. López, Ph.D. 
NORC at the University of Chicago 

Michèle M. Mazzocco, Ph.D. 
University of Minnesota 

Felicia Cumings Smith, Ed.D. 
National Center for Families Learning 

Ex Officio Advisory Council Members 
Jeanette Betancourt, Ed.D. 
Sesame Workshop 

Paul Siefken 
Fred Rogers Productions 

Yasmina S. Vinci 
National Head Start Association