How to Contact Us
Mailing Address:
Smart Start of Davidson County
235 East Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292
phone: (336) 249-6688
fax: (336) 249-6687
email: office@partnershipforchildren.org
Staff (click on name to email)
Executive Director
Linda Leonard - Ext. 221
Accountable to the local partnership Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides professional leadership necessary to ensure the development and expansion of the human and financial resources necessary to carry out the organization’s mission of improving the quality of life for children and families in Davidson County.
Administrative Coordinator
Megan Ewing - Ext. 214
Develops and maintains an administrative system to ensure an overall smooth functioning office environment. This position maintains necessary organizational records and is the primary contact for information regarding meetings.
Finance
Kent Graham - Ext. 219 Finance Director
Hilda Sink - Ext. 222 Assistant Finance Director
Performs and/or manages the functions of accounting, benefits administration, budgeting, financial liaison to outside agencies, fiscal contract compliance, fiscal monitoring, grant fiscal management, human resources, and payroll for the agency. Other duties may be assigned.
Program Compliance Director
Don Stewart - Ext. 213
Provides oversight and technical assistance to Smart Start of Davidson County (SSDC), to help ensure effectiveness in program delivery, in addition to compliance with the expectations of SSDC and state requirements. Administers the Education for the Stars program. Provides outreach to other programs within the community to build more programming coalitions within the county.
Program Managers
Ann Brudenell - Ext. 208
Administers the Journey to the Stars (JTS) program by providing leadership, strategic planning and vision to improve the quality of early childhood experiences and programs for children birth to age five in Davidson County. In addition, this position oversees provider services such as training, the resource room, and the library.
Mary Draughn - Ext. 209
Administers the Quality Maintenance Program by providing leadership and vision to maintain and improve the quality of early childhood experiences for children birth to age five in Davidson County. In addition, this position oversees the parent specialists, child care referral services, and parent resources in the resource room and library.
Stephanie Nelson - Ext. 211
Serves as the Ready Schools Coordinator by developing a county plan that involves collaboration with the public school systems, early care and education providers, business leaders, and families in advancing the objective of preparing all children for successful transition into kindergarten. In addition, this position oversees the More at Four program.
Classroom Specialists
Donna Danzy - Ext. 225 (primarily More at Four Classrooms)
Erin Hinton - Ext. 218
Stephanie McGovern - Ext. 215 (primarily More at Four Classrooms)
Improves the quality of child care and early education by providing child care classroom professionals with tools to create, improve and maintain quality environments and by developing and implementing technical assistance plans to outline and monitor goals in each classroom/center. More at Four Specialists also process applications for the More at Four classrooms.
Management Specialists
Sherry Brannon - Ext. 217
Chunda Teal - Ext. 212
Improves the quality of child care programs by supporting Center Directors with technical assistance/consultation in the operation of child care programs. These positions focus on building the business side of child care.
Family Child Care Specialist
Gina Collins - Ext. 224
Improves the quality of child care programs by supporting Family Child Care Home Providers with technical assistance/consultation in the operation of their child care programs.
Parent Specialists
Kim Blakley - Ext. 223
Sarah Sizemore-Lawson - Ext. 223
Melissa Smith - Ext. 223
Creates a resource and referral system to ensure that parents and families in Davidson County receive appropriate information on child care services and understand what constitutes quality care. These positions also provide trainings throughout the community.
Program Assistant/Professional Development Coordinator
Mandy Campbell- Ext. 205
Provides program support and record keeping services to the Journey to the Stars and the Quality Assistance Bonus programs. Identifies strategies for getting early care and education staff and/or high school students to go to/return to college in the early childhood field. Provides help and guidance to early care and education students.
Provider Services Specialist
LaShondrea Nixon - Ext. 201
Welcomes and assists consumers to the partnership office either in person or on the telephone. Provides technical support and program information to child care providers based on developmentally appropriate activities by utilizing our resource room, library, and production room. To provide program support services as required.
Community Outreach
Pam Hill
Diana Parrish
Evaluation Consultant
Sarah Heinemeier
Smart Start of Davidson County is governed by a Board of Directors.