The Early Childhood Council staff is made up of a group of professionals who help coordinate the communication and activities associated with all of the agencies, organizations, training opportunities and programs that help support the mission of the Council. Please see Staff Directory below:
Early Childhood Council Staff
 | Tamara Volz, Early Childhood Council Director, tamarav@ecclaplata.org 970-247-0760 x 40 Tamara oversees the activities and programs of the Early Childhood Council, including administrative and fiscal responsibility of state and local initiatives and contracts to support comprehensive early childhood services. Tamara began in 1998 as the EC Council Coordinator. Tamara’s experience includes over 30 years of teaching and administering programs for young children. She has taught Kindergarten & preschool children. Tamara has facilitated numerous workshops for early childhood professionals in the Four Corners area since 1991. She is a certified trainer through the Colorado Office of Professional Development, Expanding Quality in Infant/Toddler Care Training and Touchpoints. She is one of two original EC Council Coordinators in the state that has participated in the Early Childhood Councils Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) since the beginning. Tamara has served on the Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children Board from 2000-2003 and as a member of the nominating committee. She has lived in Durango for over 30 years, and is committed to increasing high quality comprehensive early childhood services for children and families. |
 | Shannon Bassett, Child Care Resource and Referral Coordinator, shannonb@ecclaplata.org 970-247-0760 x 25 Shannon is responsible for child care resource and referral services for parents seeking childcare in Archuleta, La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, and San Juan Counties. Shannon has held numerous positions in the early childhood field, from teacher’s aide to center director. Currently, Shannon is a licensed family home child care provider in Southwest Colorado. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education as well as 15 years experience in the field. Shannon has several other certifications including; Safety Seat Inspector, Family Child Care Environmental Rating Specialist and Pre-Licensing and Family Child Care Business Trainer. Shannon also has four young children of her own and homeschools. |
 | Heather Hawk, Quality Improvement Coordinator, heatherh@ecclaplata.org 970-247-0760 x 20 Heather began her career with children in foster care and mental health treatment facilities in New Mexico. Over the past 15 years, she has worked in several areas of child welfare, including the training, licensing and supervision of foster parents. She began advocating for access to quality medical and education services for children during her work with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) where she was responsible for the supervision of volunteers working with infants and toddlers in the dependency system. Most recently, Heather worked for the University of New Mexico as a research coordinator serving adolescents and adults suffering from mental illness. In her position with the EC Council, Heather coordinates many of our quality improvement activities including EQ Infant Toddler Training, Pyramid Plus Social Emotional Development Training, Touchpoints Community Training, and Quality Assessments, Ratings, and Incentives. Heather is in the office 20 hours/week Monday through Thursday. |
 | Jackie Morlan, Health Integration Coordinator, jmorlan@ecclaplata.org 970-247-0760 x 22 Jackie and her husband, Ed, moved to La Plata County in 1977 from Gunnison, Colorado where both attended Western State College to become elementary school teachers. Jackie specialized in special education and began her career teaching junior high and high school students in Ignacio then quickly switched to opening the first inclusive preschool in Southwest Colorado in the early 80’s in Bayfield. Jackie’s career over the past 40 years has been devoted to young children in one capacity or another (Jackie and Ed have two grown daughters). She has been an executive director for a Durango based non-profit, a child find coordinator, a Part C coordinator, a children’s program director for children with developmental disabilities, one of the founders and current board members of the Bayfield Early Education Programs and a founding board member of several other non-profits. Her newest career for the ECC will make use of Jackie’s passion in relation to supporting the social and emotional health and development of all children reaching their potential. |
 | Sara Campano, Administrative Assistant, sarac@ecclaplata.org 970-247-0760 x 16 Sara assists the Early Childhood Council Director in the coordination of a variety of local Early Childhood Council of La Plata County programs, projects, and activities related to the statewide comprehensive early childhood systems. She will also be maintaining the ecclaplata.org web site and assisting in the delivery of community trainings through website updates and technical support. Sara has an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Library and Information Studies. In addition to raising her two young children, she has experience working with children in both the elementary school and library setting. She is part of the Cradling Literacy Training Team providing workshops for child care providers in early literacy. |