My Story
Building Stronger Centers. Creating Brighter Futures.
By the numbers
Because I've sat exactly where you're sitting.
It started with a passion for kids. Long before I ever ran a center, I was an AmeriCorps member tutoring at-risk kids, fighting illiteracy, teaching computer skills, and helping run after-school programs in communities that needed more support than they were getting. That work showed me what’s possible when caring adults build the right systems around children. It also planted the seed for everything that came next.
Then I opened my own center. For 17 years, I owned and ran a licensed childcare center right here in Memphis, Tennessee. We weren’t just compliant — we were one of the highest-rated programs in the state. When Tennessee used the old Star-Quality Program, we earned and held the top 3 Star rating. When the state moved to the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), we kept right on going, ranking in the top 90th percentile of childcare programs in Tennessee.
But here’s the truth: it wasn’t easy. I learned almost every lesson the hard way — every citation, every empty classroom, every late tuition payment, every teacher who quit, every month I wasn’t sure I’d make payroll. I had heart but no playbook. Eventually I built the systems — for compliance, enrollment, operations, finances, and quality — that turned a stressful job into a calm, full, profitable center I was proud of.
Now I help owners skip the hard lessons. I closed the chapter on running my own center so I could open this one: helping other childcare owners build stronger centers, faster, without making the costly mistakes I made. Through Two Steps Ahead Consulting Group, I share the exact systems, tools, and coaching that took me 17 years to figure out — organized into five pillars I believe every thriving center needs: Compliance, Enrollment, Operations, Finances, and Quality.
My education includes a Bachelor’s in Communications with a minor in Entrepreneurship from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, plus years of childcare-specific compliance, leadership, and business training. But honestly? The most valuable thing I bring isn’t on my résumé — it’s the 17 years I spent doing what you’re doing now.
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Now I help owners skip the hard lessons. I closed the chapter on running my own center so I could open this one: helping other childcare owners build stronger centers, faster, without making the costly mistakes I made. Through Two Steps Ahead Consulting Group, I share the exact systems, tools, and coaching that took me 17 years to figure out — organized into five pillars I believe every thriving center needs: Compliance, Enrollment, Operations, Finances, and Quality.
My education includes a Bachelor’s in Communications with a minor in Entrepreneurship from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, plus years of childcare-specific compliance, leadership, and business training. But honestly? The most valuable thing I bring isn’t on my résumé — it’s the 17 years I spent doing what you’re doing now.
What Guides My Work
My Core Values
Genuine Care
Every strategy I share is designed with the children in your care as the ultimate beneficiary. Better-run centers create better outcomes for families.
Real Experience
Everything I teach comes from 17 years in the director's seat. No theory, no guessing — only tested strategies that work in the real world.
Clarity Over Complexity
I translate overwhelming regulations, standards, and business principles into clear, actionable steps your whole team can follow.
Director-First
I advocate for the people who hold their entire centers together. Directors deserve support, not just more responsibilities placed on their shoulders.
Credentials & Experience
The Experience Behind the Advice
17 Years
Running a licensed childcare center in Memphis, TN
3-Star QRIS
Achieved and maintained Tennessee's highest quality rating tier
Top 90th Percentile
Consistently ranked among the highest-performing centers statewide