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Leadership Connections

News from the Academy of ZERO TO THREE Fellows
August 2024

Dear ZERO TO THREE Fellows,

Welcome to the 2024-2026 Fellowship Cohort!

Twenty exceptional leaders have been selected for the newest ZERO TO THREE Fellowship class and were welcomed at the 2024 LEARN Conference. Look for more information about these inspiring professionals in the public announcement next month!

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Fellows News

2024 ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference: Academy Events

The 2024 ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference was hosted in Long Beach, CA this year and included two Academy events: The Academy Reception on Tuesday, July 30 and the Academy Luncheon and Panel on Wednesday, July 31.

Our Tuesday Reception was a wonderful opportunity for the new class of Fellows to meet our Academy members. Our Wednesday luncheon included special guests – Dixon Chibanda, MD (Practice Plenary Speaker) and Walter Gilliam, PhD (Research/Science Plenary Speaker, ZTT Board President, and Fellow) – who shared highlights from their presentations and a Call to Action for Fellows. The event stimulated a deep and courageous conversation about the challenges we face in bettering the lives of babies and their families, and the continued call for equitable, healing policies, and systems for all

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The Academy Council’s Giving Back, Going Forward Campaign: Launching Soon!

In the coming months, the Academy will be launching its “Giving Back, Going Forward” fundraising campaign to support Academy events and scholarships to ensure Fellows can attend the host of ZERO TO THREE activities offered each year. We look forward to your support!

What Does the Fellowship Mean to You? Your Voice is Needed.

To support our fundraising efforts, we would love to share more about what the ZERO TO THREE Fellowship means to you. How did the Fellowship impact you personally and professionally? What are the most important lessons you’ve learned from your Fellowship experience?

We are certain your experiences will inspire others to support the Academy of Fellows and ZERO TO THREE. Please use our survey to share your testimonial. Questions? Contact the Academy Co-Chairs: Aimee Hilado and Ann Chu.

Aimee Hilado
Academy Co-Chair
ahilado@uchicago.edu

Ann Chu
Academy Co-Chair
ann.chu@ucsf.edu

Fellows Community Platform

The Academy of Fellows Community Site provides the opportunity for social and professional networking with Fellows from the multitude of classes from 1981 forward. If you have any questions on how to log on or have any technical issues, please contact Anne Howley (ahowley@zerotothree.org).

Call for Volunteers

The Academy Council is looking to fill the position of Treasurer and Social Media/Communications to help with oversight of the Academy’s finances and funding campaigns. Please consider volunteering to be part of this amazing group and continue strengthening the Council’s leadership team!

If you have questions, please contact the Academy Council Co-Chairs: Ann Chu (ann.chu@ucsf.edu) and Aimee Hilado (ahilado@uchicago.edu).

Policy, Advocacy, and Research Collaboration (PARC) Award

We are currently accepting applications for our annual Policy Advocacy and Research (PAR) Collaboration Award. The PAR Collaboration Award strives to support collaboration among Fellows to undertake initiatives in advancing policy, advocacy, practice and research to improve the health and wellbeing of young children and their families. Fellows can apply for an award up to a maximum of $5,000.

Eligible applicant groups include two or more Fellows who have completed their fellowship by January 31, 2024 and who propose to work on a collaborative project serving the PAR Collaboration purpose. All project ideas are considered, with new projects and/or new collaborations prioritized. Fellows are especially encouraged to consider topics of current critical concerns identified during the Fellows Retreat in May. These topics include: economic security; maternal wellbeing; the parent-child dyad in policy, advocacy, and early intervention; climate change; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; family separation, trauma, and/or migration; children impacted by war; fatherhood and service accessibility; and infant and early childhood mental health professional and workforce development. The application document was emailed on June 28 (first call) and again on July 29 (second call). If you missed these emails and need a copy of the application, email Jen Harman or Margaret McLaren.

Fellows Spotlight

Pyae Phyo Aung (2022-24)

While at WAIMH, Pyae received the plaque commemorating his recent Fellowship graduation, delivered by a collaborative colleague from the University of Minnesota.

The 2024 WAIMH Interim World Congress in Tampere, Finland was held June 5-7. Fellow Pyae Phyo Aung (2022-24) of the Ministry of Health, Myanmar, presented a poster providing an overview of the integration of IECMH services in the Child Development Clinic of a Children’s Hospital: Integration of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Services into Child Development Clinic (CDC) 550 Bedded Children Hospital, Mandalay, Myanmar. The project is a collaboration with Academy Fellow Maria Kroupina (2009) of the University of Minnesota, and Kyaw Myo, Aye-Mya Min-Aye (Ministry of Health, Myanmar) and Kyaw Linn (Myanmar Pediatric Neurology), showcasing the global impact of Fellows in collaboration.

Obianuju “Uju” Berry, MD, MPH (2018-20)

Uju, right, with Fatima Kadik (2022-24) of the NYC Health Department

Fellow Obianuju “Uju” Berry (2018-20) presented at the NYC Early Childhood Mental Health Annual Conference which explored cutting-edge research on the critical role of perinatal and parental mental health in fostering resilience and social-emotional well-being in infants and young children. Uju’s presentation, Intimate Partner Violence During the Perinatal Period: Meeting Our Families Where They Are is available to view via the conference website: TTAC Annual Conference.

Julie Stone, MD (2003)

Julie (in red) with her husband Peter Langoulant, and two dear friends who are social workers, and infant mental health clinicians and supervisors in Australia.

As part of the Australian Honours System award recipients are named twice a year: On Australia Day February 26^th, and on the Queen’s (now King’s) birthday celebrated with a public holiday in June. Our very own Academy Fellow, Julie Stone (2003), was the 2021 recipient of this incredible honor “for significant service to child mental health.” The award ceremony and medal pinning were at Government House in Melbourne in which Family Court Judge Linda Dessau, then Governor, presided over the ceremony.

ZERO TO THREE Highlights

2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:
Karol A. Wilson LMSW, IMH-E(R)

The 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Karol A. Wilson, LMSW, IMH-E(R) at the LEARN Conference in Long Beach, CA. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have made substantive contributions of national or international significance to improving the lives of infants, toddlers and their families. Award recipients are individuals whose research, practice, teaching or advocacy has had a demonstrable impact on very young children and those who care for them.

The vision of the ZERO TO THREE Academy of Fellows is the development of a thriving, relationship-based community of Fellows that promotes the well-being of infants, children, and families.

The mission is to build and grow a professional community of ZERO TO THREE leadership fellows that strives to promote ongoing collaboration, mentorship, and relationships to support our work and the mission of ZERO TO THREE.

Support the Academy of Fellows

Your contribution will help us promote collaborations and partnerships, sustain relationships, support the fellowship program and advance the early childhood field.