Our 2022-2024 placement sites
Our first cohort of placement sites hosted our inaugural 2022-2024 Pathwaves Fellows. These organizations work in the early childhood policy sector. They include both more “established” policy organizations and smaller community-based service organizations who are seeking to expand their state-based policy work. Placement sites host our Fellows for the duration of the Fellowship and engage in shared anti-racist learning and practice.
Center for Children and Youth Justice
Center for Children Youth and Justice works to create better lives for generations of children and youth by reforming the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Fellow positions
Early Childhood Courts Policy Fellow
CCYJ’s Policy Fellow uses a race equity lens to advance its early childhood policy. This position is responsible for collaborating with CCYJ’s early childhood portfolios to advance policy through strategic actions, convening, advocacy, and communications.
Council for a Strong America | ReadyNation
Council for a Strong America is a national, bipartisan nonprofit that unites five organizations comprised of law enforcement leaders, retired admirals, and business executives that promote solutions ensuring that our next generation of Americans will be successful, productive members of society.
Fellow positions
The Fellow works to build ReadyNation Washington’s messaging focused on early childhood policy and racial equity. The focus will be on increasing access to ECEAP which has been framed as support of quality, rates, slots, and space. The Fellow spends the bulk of their time on Washington state issues, and depending on interest may also engage in a variety of ways including working with our Federal Policy Team to learn about the Federal policy landscape and engaging ReadyNation Washington members on Federal policy related to early childhood.
Department of Children, Youth, and Families
DCYF is a cabinet-level state agency focused on the well-being of children. Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community.”
Fellow positions
Early Learning Division Policy Fellow
In partnership with DCYF and its Early Learning Division, this Fellow supports access to child care and improve equity, quality and availability of child care services.
Child Care Licensing Policy Fellow
In partnership with DCYF and its Licensing Division, this Fellow Supports Innovative Policy and Practice Efforts to
Improve Equity, Quality and Availability of Child Care Services.
Washington Communities for Children
Washington Communities for Children (WCFC) is a network of coalitions dedicated to improving the wellbeing of children, families, and communities. WCFC brings together critical community resources, regional expertise, and robust cross-sector relationships to improve systems and achieve measurable results.
Fellow positions
WCFC’s Fellow supports the network’s policy and advocacy work. This person works with the WCFC Policy & Advocacy Network Leaders, the WCFC State Lead, and the WCFC Regional Leads on state-level early childhood policy.
One America
OneAmerica® is the largest immigrant and refugee advocacy organization in Washington State, organizing with and advocating for diverse communities including Latinx, African, and Asian.
Fellow positions
The Early Learning Policy Fellow supports and implements the organization’s newly expanded state-based early childhood advocacy agenda and plays a key role in OneAmerica’s mission by building the organization’s expertise and influence to identify, analyze, advocate for, and win equitable policies rooted in racial equity for all children in Washington state.
Voices of Tomorrow
Voices of Tomorrow’s mission is to preserve Immigrant & Refugee children’s identity through culturally responsive child-focused programs.
Fellow positions
The Early Childhood Policy Fellow engages in the interconnected work of supporting the newly formed Public Policy and Advocacy department in advancing VOT’s efforts to address structural inequities in systems and institutions that affect the health and wellbeing of East African Immigrants and refugee children.
Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP
WSA is a statewide non-profit organization composed of representatives from Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant/Seasonal Head Start, Native American Head Start and the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) who advocate to improve the lives of children and families throughout Washington state.
Fellow positions
The ECEAP Advocacy Fellow is laser-focused on ensuring that the state meets its commitment to serve all children eligible for ECEAP by the 2026 entitlement.
MomsRising
MomsRising combines the best of American innovation and ingenuity. We are a transformative on-the-ground and online multicultural organization of more than a million members and over a hundred aligned organizations working to increase family economic security, to end discrimination against women and mothers, and to build a nation where both businesses and families can thrive.
Fellow positions
The Fellow will work to build support for early childhood programs and policies for Washington State with a focus on those furthest from justice by engaging in grassroots on-the-ground and digital organizing, coalition building, and leading campaigns to advance the issue.
Akin
Akin offers a wide range of multi-generational focused and trauma-informed programs that meet children and families in the places they live, learn and play.
Fellow position
Public Policy Specialist Fellow
The Fellow is responsible for leading the expansion of Akin in the public policy arena by identifying and addressing community challenges and policy solutions in the areas of early childhood developmental screening/services and social and emotional development.
