Identify Gaps in Support
Share experiences from urban, suburban, and rural communities, so services respond to the needs of families across the region.
COMMUNITY TASK FORCES
Help Shape Early Childhood Care in Your Community
You see the needs of local children and families through your work, your services, or your own experience raising a child. Foundation First brings families, childcare providers, educators, businesses, health professionals, and local partners together to share what they’re seeing and improve Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) across North Central Virginia.
Connect With Local Partners
Share Resources and Ideas
Help Guide Community Decisions
Working Together
Put Local Experience to Work
Families and organizations often know where support is missing, but they don’t always have a way to bring those concerns to the people who can help. Our Community Task Forces give local voices a place in the conversations shaping early childhood services.
Through meetings, outreach, and ongoing conversations, members help Foundation First understand what’s working, where families face barriers, and what needs attention in each community.
Connect With Your Local Task Force
Help Guide Local Decisions
Bring feedback about local challenges, opportunities, and policies affecting young children and families, so Foundation First’s planning reflects what communities are experiencing.
Work on Solutions Together
Connect with others to explore ways to improve access to quality childcare, support educators, and involve more families in early childhood decisions.
Bring More Voices Into the Conversation
Help community members take part in decisions and lead local efforts, so the people affected have a voice in improving the support available.
Our Regional Task Force
Connect the People Supporting Families
Our regional task force brings government agencies, nonprofits, specialists, and other organizations serving families together to coordinate their work and share resources. By improving communication and access to information, we’re building a network to better support children, caregivers, educators, and the wider community.
This work is often called systems building: helping separate services and organizations work together so people can find and use the support they need.
Connect With Your Local Task ForceOur Goals
Make Local Support Easier to Find
Build a Shared Resource Database
Create a database for Foundation First’s Area Managers and Family and Enrollment Specialists, so they can connect children, families, and educators with resources across Ready Region North Central.
Support Each Area’s Task Force
Establish and support task forces in Greater Prince William; Loudoun, Fauquier, and Culpeper; and Rappahannock, with each group identifying the people, services, and priorities its community needs represented.
Keep the Region Connected
Bring the three areas together to share ideas, strategies, and approaches, so local groups can learn from one another and contribute to the region’s work.
Join the Conversation
Find Your Local Task Force
If you’d like to take part, contact the staff member for your area to learn more. They’ll confirm the next meeting and explain how to join.
Greater Prince William
Fourth Wednesday of the month
10:00 a.m.
Brittany Scott
Greater Prince William Area Manager
Email Brittany ScottBritt is passionate about supporting children, families, and educators by strengthening early childhood programs and expanding access to high-quality services. She brings over 10 years of experience in early childhood education, workforce development, and program leadership across Northern Virginia.
Brittany began her career in early childhood education, serving as an ECE Supervisor and Curriculum Specialist. In these roles, she supported teaching staff, developed curriculum resources, and worked to ensure high-quality learning environments for young children. Through this experience, she developed a strong commitment to helping early learning programs grow and succeed while promoting positive outcomes for children and families.
She later expanded her work into workforce development and community-based services, where she supervised staff, led training initiatives, and supported individuals from diverse backgrounds in reaching their educational and employment goals. Her combined experience in education, coaching, and program support led her to her current role as the Area Manager for Greater Prince William, where she partners with early childhood programs to support staff and guide them through quality improvement efforts, including participation in Virginia’s unified measurement and improvement system, VQB5.
Outside of work, Britt lives in Stafford, Virginia, and is the proud mother of high-school-aged twins. She enjoys spending time with her family and loves crafting of all kinds, especially creative projects she can share with her children.
Loudoun, Fauquier, and Culpeper
Third Monday of the month
9:30 a.m.
Leanna Saupp
Loudoun, Fauquier, and Culpeper Area Manager
Email Leanna SauppLeanna is a passionate educator committed to supporting children and the programs that serve them. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from Penn State University and began her career in Northern Virginia, teaching 3rd grade for four years and 6th grade for one year. During this time, she noticed many gaps in learning among students who had not attended preschool, which sparked her desire to focus on early childhood care and education (ECCE).
Leanna transitioned into the ECCE field as an Education Coach, playing a key role in opening a new preschool as the School Education Manager. Her work in the preschool inspired her to become a certified CLASS Observer, conducting observations for a full year. This experience deepened her passion for partnering with programs, guiding them through the VQB5 process, and advocating for their success.
Outside of work, Leanna is a proud mom of three energetic boys, ages 3 to 7. Her days are filled with sports, outdoor adventures, and creating lasting family memories.
Rappahannock
Second Tuesday of the month
9:30 a.m.
Heather Gudowicz
Rappahannock Area Manager
Email Heather GudowiczHeather joined Foundation First, previously Smart Beginnings Rappahannock Area, in 2019 as a Virginia Quality Program Specialist, later becoming Regional Coordinator for Virginia Quality, and now serves as Area Manager for the Rappahannock Area. She oversees the implementation of Virginia’s Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5), supporting publicly funded early childhood educators across five localities with a focus on curriculum and teacher-child interactions. As a certified CLASS observer, Heather is passionate about improving early learning experiences and making a positive impact on children, educators, and families in Ready Region North Central.
Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Longwood University in Farmville, VA, awarded in May 2003, with an emphasis on Early Childhood Education and a minor in English. This academic preparation has provided a solid foundation for her extensive career in early childhood development and program leadership. With over 26 years of experience, Heather has served in various capacities, including preschool teacher and childcare center director, within diverse organizational settings encompassing privately owned companies, corporations, and non-profit institutions
Heather resides in Fredericksburg with her husband and their two children, a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. She values spending quality time with her family, whether at the beach or pool, or enjoying outdoor activities like camping and hiking. A devoted supporter of her children, Heather loves cheering her son on from the sidelines at baseball games and watching her daughter shine on stage, cherishing these moments as some of her greatest joys.
Regional Task Force
Quarterly, on the first Tuesday
9:30 a.m.
Gina Davis
Executive Director and Ready Region North Central Coordinator
Email Gina DavisGina Davis is the Executive Director of Foundation First, and the Ready Region North Central Coordinator. Foundation First is the lead agency responsible for the VDOE and VECF (Virginia Early Childhood Foundations) state initiative for Ready Region North Central and the new VQB5 quality improvement program.
Gina’s outstanding team development, strategy implementation, and community partnership building has brought Foundation First and the RRNC region into the spotlight at a state level since beginning there in May of 2022. Her expert knowledge of early childhood education, relationship building, community engagement and systems building has created a “strong foundation” for families, children and programs within Culpeper, Caroline, Fauquier, Loudoun, King George, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and the cities of Fredericksburg, Manassas and Manassas Park, Virginia.
Prior to working at Foundation First, Gina worked as the Director of Operations and Center Director for a Northern Virginia non-profit childcare organization, ImagiNation Learning Center, for over 17 years. Gina is married and has two teenage boys. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Shepherd University.
“I always wanted to become a leader in early childhood education. Throughout my career, I have always believed I can make a difference for families, children, and educators. Foundation First has provided me with excellent opportunities for new challenges and professional and personal growth. It is beautiful when a passion and career come together!”
FAQS
Questions About the Task Forces
Families, childcare providers, educators, businesses, health professionals, and local partners can bring their experiences and ideas to the conversation.
Email the staff member for your area using the contact cards above. They’ll confirm the next meeting and explain how to take part.
The Greater Prince William; Loudoun, Fauquier, and Culpeper; and Rappahannock task forces each have a monthly meeting. The regional task force meets quarterly. See the schedules above and contact the listed staff member to confirm the next meeting.
Family First Newsletter
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The Childcare Eligibility Checker.
Virginia has funding programs for families at many income levels. Our eligibility tracker walks you through a few quick questions and points you toward the programs most likely to help.
Lead Agency · Ready Region North Central
A coordinated early childhood system across eleven localities in North Central Virginia.
Ready Region North Central brings together local agencies, early childhood providers, and families to build a seamless, family-centered system. Our goal is to make it easier for every child and caregiver in our region to access the supports they need to thrive.
Learn more about Ready Region