First Five Nebraska has announced the newest members of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy (PLA), who will participate in the 2026–27 program beginning in October and concluding in March 2027.
First Five Nebraska, a founding initiative of Early Futures Partnership, developed the PLA eight years ago as the state’s premier nonpartisan leadership program dedicated to building grassroots momentum for policies that support the care, education and healthy development of young children.
“The Policy Leadership Academy is designed to engage leaders across our state to ensure that investments in our youngest children are at the forefront of state, federal and local policymaking,” said Co-President of Early Futures Partnership Jason Prokop. “These investments are essential to the prosperity and well-being of all Nebraskans. This year’s class will step into their leadership roles at a time when champions for early childhood issues are needed more than ever.”
This year’s cohort includes 21 leaders from across Nebraska, representing early care and education, higher education, economic development, public health and other areas of the public and private sectors. Over the course of the program, participants will develop advanced grassroots strategies to organize and mobilize communities in support of local and state policies benefiting young children and families.
The members of the 2026-27 class are:
- Michael Adams, Independent Economic Development Consultant, Omaha
- Angela Blaesi, Family Home Child Care Provider and Educator, North Platte
- Jessica Campos, Center for Rural Affairs, Grand Island
- Sydni Closson, Horace Mann Insurance, Gering
- Becky Dunlap Morton, Educational Service Unit #3, Bellevue
- McKenna Fahrenbruch, Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership, Holdrege
- Hailey Felton, Child Advocate and Former Teacher, Ord
- Justin Fintel, The Foundry Community, Lincoln
- Nyanhial Gatluak, Kids Can Community Center, Omaha
- Kayla Gillian, KNOWN, Omaha
- Sheila Harouff, Gunnar’s Helping Hands, Broken Bow
- Dr. Keasha Hawkins, Hawkins Counseling, Coaching and Motivational Services, Omaha
- Tammy Kresser, Sixpence Early Learning Fund, Grand Island
- Larissa Moguel, NurtureEarly, Lincoln
- Raul Muñoz, Centro Hispano NE, Columbus
- Amanda Polacek, Development Council for Buffalo County, Kearney
- Jordan Rasmussen, Nebraska Extension, Ericson
- Carime Ruvalcaba, Karime Child Care LLC, Grand Island
- Taylor Ruzika-Scheele, Sweet Peas Academy, Fairbury
- Stacy Sullwold, Stacy’s Little Owls Child Care, Grand Island
- La’Shaundra Young, Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach, Lincoln
For biographical information and photos, view the 2026-27 PLA roster, also located on the Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy page of the First Five Nebraska website.
Since its inception, the PLA has graduated more than 200 alumni from 63 Nebraska counties. As part of a growing statewide network of advocacy leaders, alumni of the program are playing influential roles in shaping public conversations about policy issues, including expanding access to quality, affordable child care and improving maternal health—particularly for Nebraska’s most vulnerable families.
FFN Grassroots and Advocacy Advisor Jodi-Renee Girón said she is confident the incoming class is ready to meet the challenge. “We are incredibly excited about the 2026-27 class,” said Girón. “These individuals bring a wide array of professional expertise, and they are deeply invested in their communities. They all bring the right mix of qualities to create action at the grassroots level for children and families across our state.”
