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Early Edge California Names Patricia Lozano Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 30, 2017 

(Oakland, CA)—Early Edge California has appointed Patricia Lozano as its new executive director. Lozano brings national and state expertise in early childhood education policy, research, and practice.
 
Early Edge California has led successful early childhood advocacy efforts since 2003. As executive director, Lozano will ensure the organization continues to be a strong voice for increased access to quality early childhood experiences. She will lead new work to use its advocacy leadership and capacity to drive a policy agenda to help California attract, support, and retain effective early childhood educators as the lynchpin of quality.
 
“We are thrilled that Patricia Lozano is taking the helm at Early Edge,” said Catherine Atkin, chair of the Early Edge California Advisory Committee and executive director of The Early Learning Lab. “As Early Edge California’s advocacy and policy for quality early learning grows, she brings a deep commitment to supporting educators and improving the early care and education of California’s children.”
 
Lozano comes to Early Edge California with an extensive background in early childhood and dual language learners. Most recently, Lozano served as a senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and worked on their national early learning strategy.
 
“Early Edge California has been a trailblazer in standing up for what’s right for California’s youngest children,” said Patricia Lozano. “I am honored to carry that value into our new work. Now more than ever, California has the opportunity to be a leader for our diverse young children and families. As executive director, I will collaborate with researchers and implementers to ensure educators have the skills, knowledge, and compensation that they need to provide our children with quality early learning experiences.”
 
In California, Lozano spearheaded projects at UCLA’s Center for Improving Child Care Quality, First 5 LA, and the RAND Corporation, and developed research and evaluation projects to find evidence-based best practices for teachers to work with dual language learners.
 
Lozano succeeds Deborah Kong, who has been executive director since January 2014. “Patricia will advance a new generation of leadership that will take Early Edge California into the next phase of its work for quality early learning,” said Deborah Kong, acting executive director of Early Edge California and commissioner of the Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education. “She brings a powerful nexus of policy, practice, and research that will build on our work and advance our new mission.”
 
Lozano’s career began as a teacher and associate director at a child development center in Bogota, Colombia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Los Andes University in Colombia and a Masters in Psychology (M.A.), Child Development Concentration, from California State University, San Bernardino.
 
To conduct this national executive search, Early Edge California partnered with Koya Leadership Partners, an executive search firm that works with nonprofit clients.
 
CONTACT:
Diana Chun
(925) 858-6853
 
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Early Edge California is a statewide early learning policy and advocacy nonprofit organization. Our mission is to create a California in which early childhood educators have the compensation, knowledge, skills, and competencies to provide high-quality, developmentally appropriate care and instruction — ultimately resulting in better outcomes for kids.

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