What the Mission means to Lisa
With ZERO TO THREE I want to help teachers understand and meet the needs of their students by prioritizing a sense of community and understanding.
Professional Background
Lisa M. Wilson is a seasoned educator, advocate, and leader with over 25 years of experience in infant, toddler, and preschool education and organizational leadership consultation rooted in systems thinking. As the Director of Outreach at the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning (NC ECDTL), Lisa spearheads the integration of individualized approaches and effective teaching practices in infant, toddler, and preschool learning environments across the Center’s initiatives. She works collaboratively with the Center Director, Consortium Leadership Team, and the Office of Head Start (OHS) to embed these approaches and co-creation efforts into all aspects of the Center’s operations, ensuring alignment with its annual work plan.
Currently a faculty member in the Early Childhood Education Department at Ventura College, Lisa teaches Child Development courses and previously held faculty positions at Pacific Oaks University, Santa Monica College, and College of the Canyons. Her work in academia and consultation includes expertise in quality improvement, effective teaching practices, teacher-child interactions, systems thinking, licensing compliance, and professional development.
Lisa’s career highlights include her role as the Professional Development Coordinator for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge in Los Angeles County. This pilot program laid the foundation for Quality Start LA as part of the BUILD Initiative and the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). In this role, she supported high-quality early learning programs to close opportunity gaps for children. Lisa has also served as Chair and Co-Chair of the Child Care & Early Education Task Force and has been an active member of Community Voices. Additionally, she successfully guided two programs through NAEYC and NAA accreditation processes and has administrative experience in group homes, demonstrating her commitment to advancing quality teaching and learning environments in early childhood education.
Lisa holds a Master’s in Education and is currently completing her Doctor of Education (EdD) in Curriculum and Teaching. Her dissertation focuses on leveraging systems thinking to strengthen curriculum development.
With a passion for expanding learning opportunities for all children and families, Lisa provides consultation on various topics, including mindfulness education, challenging behaviors, organizational leadership, and STEAM integration. Her dedication to systemic change and transformative leadership continues to pave the way for progress in early childhood education and beyond.
Future Vision
I want to create meaningful systemic change in the field of early childhood education by serving children holistically and help others meet emotional and academic needs.
