The Early Link Podcast

This episode features Lacey Hays, a parent and advocate in Washington County here in Oregon. She's currently co-chair for the Early Learning Washington County Steering Committee and a member of both the Preschool for All Technical Advisory Committee and the Organizing and Outreach Committees. She is working to establish Preschool for All in Washington County.

En este episodio, hablamos con Bridget Cooke, la directora ejecutiva de Adelante Mujeres, cuya experiencia incluye trabajar con familias y mujeres inmigrantes y organizaciones sin fines de lucro en Oregon, California y Chile. También estamos acompañados hoy por Yasmin Martinez, una madre que aboga para los niños y las familias de su comunidad, el condado de Washington aquí en Oregon. Ambas están i...

On our latest episode, host Rafael Otto speaks with Representative Karin Power (D), representing Milwaukie, Sellwood, and Southeast Portland (elected in 2016) – Brentwood Darlington and Representative Jack Zika (R), Redmond (elected 2018). Both have served on the House Committee on Early Childhood, Rep. Power serving as chair and Rep. Zika serving as vice-chair. Both are retiring this year amid hi...

Host Rafael Otto chats with Rashelle Chase-Miller, an activist, author, and mom. She’s authored many articles and works in early childhood curriculum development. She is also a founder of Mxm Bloc, a Black Mxm-led mutual aid group supporting Black families and Reproductive Rights PDX.

Leslee Barnes, director of the Preschool and Early Learning Division at Multnomah County, joins the podcast to provide an update about the implementation of Preschool for All. Barnes is a fourth-generation Oregonian who grew up in Northeast Portland. She is a leading figure, working alongside commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson, in the development of Preschool for All which was approved by voters i...

In this episode of the Early Link Podcast, Alyssa Chatterjee, Director of Oregon's Early Learning System, joins us to talk about the new Department of Early Learning and Care, and what that means for the future of early childhood in Oregon.

In this episode, host Rafael Otto speaks with Children's Institute CEO, Kali Thorne Ladd about the organization's new mission, vision, and values, which emphasize justice for children.

In this episode of the Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Rosalie Sumsion. Sumsion is a reading specialist at McBride Elementary in St. Helen’s School district, teaching small groups of readers throughout the day. She focuses on students’ social-emotional learning and works on finding ways to ensure every student is successful and feels great about coming to school.

In this episode of the Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Dr. Sherri Alderman, a a developmental behavioral pediatrician and faculty at Portland State University. Dr. Alderman has decades of experience advocating for child rights, working clinically, and on policy for infant mental health.

This is a special segment, because it marks the 75th episode of The Early Link Podcast! Host Rafael Otto speaks with Dr. Marvin Lynn who most recently served as the dean at Portland State University’s Graduate School of Education. He has served as dean and professor at universities across the country, and started his career as an elementary and middle school teacher. Also, he has conducted researc...

Leslee Barnes is the director of the Preschool and Early Learning Division at Multnomah County. In that role, she is overseeing the Preschool for All initiative, a program approved by voters in November 2020 that will provide tuition-free, universal preschool for 3- and 4 year-olds in Multnomah County. The program is being funded by a personal income tax on high income earners and has received sig...

This week, host Rafael Otto speaks with Jenna Deml, our producer at Portland Radio Project, and two of her lifelong friends, Kai Russell and Justin Semke. All three of them happen to be on the autism spectrum, and today we have a chance to hear their stories – about what it was like growing up on the spectrum, how they have remained friends for so many years, and their experience in the education...

On this episode of The Early Link, host Rafael Otto speak with Dr. Johnny Lake about building relationships and community through storytelling. Dr. Lake is an consultant and trainer on community-building, equity, diversity and leadership with a focus on what youth need, and what our education systems need to better serve students and young people.

In this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, whose research has focused on the social and historical foundations of literacy in Black communities and how literacy development can be reconceptualized in classrooms today. She is associate professor at University of Illinois at Chicago, and is the author of a recent book called “Cultivating Genius: An E...

In this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Leonor Stjepic; an award-winning social enterprise entrepreneur, whose career has spanned both the private and nonprofit sectors in the United Kingdom. In addition, she is currently the chief executive officer for The Montessori Group, an organization that provides training in Montessori education for early years communities i...

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Danielle Thompson, who is the president on the board of directors for the Oregon branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She has been an educator for more than two decades. And as a dyslexia screener and tutor, she has been on a journey to understand the impact of dyslexia on students and how educators can do more to...

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Andrew Yoshihara, who is a member of Black Child Development PDX and founder and executive director of Bustin’ Barriers, a nonprofit organization that serves kids with disabilities. He is also a parent advocate and has been involved with legislative advocacy in 2021.

In this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with guest Dalia Avello. Dalia serves on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Montessori Association, trained as a psychologist, is a certified Montessori teacher, and has expertise in the Education and International Development fields.

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with three guests about the latest legislative session here in Oregon. They talk about highs and lows, what passed and did not in the interest of children and families, and what it was like to move through the session virtually.

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Jenifer Wagley and Chris Coughlin from Our Children Oregon about their advocacy work, and what the data is telling us about children and families in Oregon and across the country.

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Elliot Haspel, an early childhood policy expert and author of the book “Crawling Behind: America’s Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It.” Guests: Elliot Haspel is a nationally-recognized early childhood policy expert and author of the book “Crawling Behind: America’s Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It.” Elliot’s work has been fe...

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto talks with Miriam Calderon, the early learning system director at the Early Learning Division in Oregon’s Department of Education. Miriam has been a long time advocate for early childhood and is leaving Oregon for a new position in the Biden-Harris admiration. Guest: Miriam Calderon has been the early learning system director overseeing t...

In this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with professor John Nimmo about the film he co-produced, Reflecting On Anti-Bias Education in Action: The Early Years. They are joined by one of the teachers featured in the film, Veronica Reynoso, who shares her insight on the value of anti-bias education. Guests: John Nimmo, EdD is Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education,...

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto talks with Brian Berry, the superintendent at the Yoncalla School District, about how the district is empowering community members to become local educators, and shares the ways in which this strategy is paying off. Guest: Brian Berry has been the Superintendent of Yoncalla School District for almost four years and an educator in the dist...

On this episode of The Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with podcaster and educator Evelyn Lauer about the struggles of teaching during a global pandemic. Guest: Evelyn Lauer has taught high school English in the Chicago area for 20 years. She is the host of Beyond the Bell, a weekly podcast in which she interviews other educators about teaching during the pandemic. She holds an MFA in...