2025 Leader in Advocacy Award

Born and raised in Birmingham, England, Hayley Village has devoted over four decades to nurturing children, empowering families, and uplifting fellow educators. A proud mother of three adult children and one cherished fur baby, Hayley brings both personal and professional wisdom to her work. 

With an AA in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor’s in Human Services and Counseling, she has dedicated nearly 20 years to operating a successful Family Child Care (FCC) program, serving her community with compassion, excellence, and heart. 

Her influence reaches far beyond her own home: she consults with Home Grown and chairs their advisory panel, shaping programs that support home-based educators nationwide. Hayley’s leadership includes serving on the board of the San Mateo Family Child Care Organization and mentoring new providers through the CACFP program. She’s also been a consultant and alumni of Renaissance’s Black Entrepreneur Program and contributes to the Learning from Home and All Our Kin business cohorts.

Her advocacy spans many fronts—from child nutrition with CACFP to affordable housing with the NAACP and San Mateo Housing Council. She also founded The Glenys Village Humanitarian Scholarship Awards to honor her mother’s legacy and support emerging changemakers. Whether through mentoring, advocacy, or grassroots organizing, Hayley stands as a relentless force for equity, quality care, and community empowerment. Her story is a testament to what one passionate provider can do with vision, courage, and love.

Benu Chhabra is a dedicated Family Child Care (FCC) educator and passionate advocate for early childhood education. With over 25 years of experience, she has championed the rights and recognition of FCC educators at the local, state, and national levels. As part of her advocacy, Benu hosted a local Day Without Child Care event, where she invited the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council members to witness firsthand the critical issues facing child care providers. Her efforts led to a powerful show of support, culminating in a May 24th mayoral proclamation honoring her decades of service and unwavering commitment to children, families, and the FCC community. Benu continues to lead workshops, deliver keynote presentations, and create spaces where educators feel seen, valued, and empowered.

On Day Without Child Care 2025, Benu hosted a vibrant Morning Chai gathering at her home with 79 attendees, including the Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Council members, Chamber of Commerce, Office of Education, and DVC College ECE. After a powerful morning of sharing and solidarity, a group—including Benu—boarded a bus to San Jose to join the regional rally, continuing the call for justice and investment in child care. 

I am a family childcare provider in California, specifically located in Garden Grove. Little Flowers Family Child Care is our family-run establishment with a mission to nurture children’s growth and well-being while offering parents peace of mind through personalized attention and assistance. Our focus is on infants, toddlers and preschoolers (0-4 years old) who benefit from state subsidies. We prioritize creating suitable environments for play and exploration to support every child in our care.

With 23 years of experience in Early Childhood Education, I have emerged as a community leader, demonstrating sustainable growth in both the scale and quality of our services. Our childcare serves a diverse Garden Grove community, with over 30% of residents from minority backgrounds (Census 2018). As a Latina woman, business owner, and educator, I prioritize holistic child education and staff training. Our program emphasizes children’s well-being, safety, respect, engaging activities, and a supportive environment led by qualified and caring individuals. Little Flowers Family Child Care stands out as a nurturing haven in the childcare landscape.

My passion for Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Family Child Care began nearly 30 years ago, shortly after immigrating to California with two young children of my own. I wanted to be present for them while also building a meaningful career. That led me to college, where I focused on strengthening my language skills and earning a degree in ECE—a field I fell in love with and continue to practice and advocate for every day.

In 1996, I opened my own family child care program and have since mentored countless providers on their ECE and child care journeys. As a lifelong learner, I strongly believe in the power of continued education and regularly attend professional development workshops. My dedication to the field extends beyond the classroom. I am actively involved in national advocacy through Child Care Changemakers and Home Grown, and I serve on the boards of Diablo Valley College’s ECE department, CocoKids, East Bay AEYC, and the Bay Area Professional Family Child Care Network.

In every space I serve, I raise my voice for living wages for providers, a just and equitable child care system grounded in racial equity, and affordable access to quality care for all families.

I have been a family child care provider for 20 plus years.  I have a bachelor’s Degree in Business and I am the vice president of the African American Child Care Providers Association of Kern County where everyone is welcome.  I was appointed to the Early Child Care Policy-Parent Advisory Council that works directly with Governor Gavin Newsom and his Staff Appointees.  I have been a member of SEIU Local 521 from the very start when they first began the campaign for Family Child Care Providers to become a Union. I have worked closely with the Department of Education in implementing policy changes that meet the needs of ALL Family Child Care Providers. As a Contact Negotiation Team Member, I will continue to fight for all CCPU Members as well as our Friends and Family Providers in assuring a fair and equitable contract that represents honor and respect for every Family Child Care Provider in California. Thank You.

I am Brittany Philpart-Dow, a distinguished Daycare Owner and Teacher whose work spans the realms of education, advocacy, and community engagement. My contributions to the field of early care and education have not only demonstrated a deep commitment to academic and social advancement of children, but also of people who are neurodivergent. My academic journey is marked by excellence and a passion for learning. I completed my undergraduate studies with a BA in writing with a Minor in Psychology, a discipline closely aligned with my current professional focus. Throughout my education, I focused on interdisciplinary approaches, seeking to integrate concepts across fields to address complex real-world challenges our families face daily.

I, Marcella Graves, have been an advocate for over 20 years. I started with Parent Voices and also with Child Care Providers United before we became a union, I used to go to hearings at the Capitol and legislative visits to talk to legislators. I also would go to providers houses and tell them about the union to tell them to become a member and all the stuff the union was going to fight for us to get like health care and many benefits. When we fight, we win! 

Rachel Bymun has been a dedicated Family Childcare Educator since 2010, bringing over a decade of experience to her role. With a degree in Early Childhood Education, Rachel is passionate about fostering developmentally appropriate learning experiences for young children. She is particularly enthusiastic about outdoor and nature-based programs, which she integrates into her educational approach to nurture children’s curiosity and connection to the natural world.

In addition to her hands-on work with children, Rachel is an active advocate for children and childcare providers. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Local Planning Council in Contra Costa County, where she works to influence policy and improve the quality and accessibility of childcare services. Rachel’s commitment to education and advocacy reflects her belief in the importance of nurturing young minds and supporting those who care for them.

My name is Laura, I hold an Engineering and Architectural degree from Instituto Politecnico Nacional in Mexico City. Because I am not licensed in this country, I turned to my second love, working with children, from babysitting as a teenager to raising my own daughter.

I have always liked helping and watching young minds develop and grow. I try to provide an environment where the kids have the structure to feel SAFE and the FREEDOM to PLAY and EXPLORE to their imaginations desire!

My name is Natanya Mitchell. I’m the owner and director of Young at Heart Daycare of California. My students affectionately call me “Auntie”. I was born and raised in Oakland; my entire education from primary school through college was completed in Oakland. I love how my family and my city raised me!

After several years within the public sector, I decided to open my own preschool in 2020. Young at Heart Daycare is a loving, caring, and social and emotional school. I know that having a strong preschool foundation prepares children for success.

Attending the Fresno CFCCN Forum has shown me what advocacy can look like on the front line. I was always the person that would help out behind the scenes but now my advocacy is being done in front and with a purpose to build a foundation for every child.