We recognize the need to strengthen the connections between design professionals and early childhood educators.

While many beautiful spaces have been built for the education of young children, many such facilities have not had the benefit of design thinking in their development. It is our hope that all children who spend time in early learning spaces, such as childcare centers, family child care, and preschools, can benefit from the thoughtful design of those environments.

The trends are clear: the importance of quality care for children between birth and kindergarten continues to gain traction in many policy arenas, and many of our region’s conversations about schools, housing, transit, social justice, health, mental health and racism now include ensuring access to quality education during early years. The allocation of funds, and the cost of care, are in sharp focus on many fronts, in an effort to ensure that families with young children can find and afford good programs.

Design for Early Learning believes that the design of early learning environments is an important - even essential - effort, and that achieving well-designed spaces for young children need not be costly or complicated. Our goal is to strengthen connections between designers and practitioners, which we hope will lead to more great environments for our region’s youngest residents. With a focus on spaces where kids can thrive - emotionally, physically, mentally and intellectually - we can find ways to bring two sets of caring professionals together. The resulting collaborations and cooperation will benefit teachers, families, and most especially the children who use these spaces every day.

Meet the Organizers

  • Alissa Rupp, FAIA, LEED BD+C

    Principal, FRAME | Integrative Design Strategies

    Alissa is an architect, planner and designer who is passionate about making joyful spaces for our youngest humans. She is a leader in the design of places for community building, informal education and lifelong learning.

    Alissa works with the conviction that we can improve public life through the serious work of creating spaces where art, nature, culture and play intersect. She values interdisciplinary thinking, collaboration, co-creation and clarity. On the projects she is most passionate about, the visitor experience is key; her wide definition of “client,” includes an organization’s staff, visitors, stakeholders, volunteers, collections, and even the flora and fauna of the project site.

    Alissa’s early career was forged in children’s museums; since then, her goal has been to serve the field of Informal Education through design, strategic planning and thoughtfully executed capital projects.

  • Diane Kroll

    Founder, Imag(e)ine Collaborative

    Diane is an advocate, instructor and collaborator, passionate about the importance of design for the early years.

    For 23 years Diane was Director of Early Childhood Services at Puget Sound Educational Service District where she had the privilege of working with a talented team of Educators supporting King and Pierce County’s ECEAPprograms as well community based Childcare.

    Diane is passionate about working with educators on the importance of the built environment and its impact on children, educators, family and communities. She is a Co-founder of Imag(e)ine, an Educational Collaborative that brings together Early Learning Professionals to go deeper in their thinking.

    Diane is on the Board of Directors of First Five Fundamentals and Arts Impact. She has also been on State and Local planning including on the team who produced the Washington State Early Learning Guidelines.

    In each of these endeavors Diane is committed to approaching her work with a antiracist, social justice lens.

Meet the Panelists and Presenters

  • Jamie Bonnett

    DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, KIDSQUEST CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

  • Anjali Grant

    PRINCIPAL, ANJALI GRANT DESIGN LLC

  • Michael L Koetje

    FORMER EARLY LEARNING DIRECTOR

  • Sarah Lytle

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PLAYFUL LEARNING LANDSCAPES ACTION NETWORK (PLLAN)

  • Jeanne Vergeront

    PRINCIPAL, VERGERONT MUSEUM PLANNING

  • Divya McMillin, PhD

    PROFESSOR & ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON TACOMA

  • Liz Bullard

    FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SEATTLE CHILDREN’S PLAYGARDEN

  • Rebecca Kreth

    MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANT & ADVOCATE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

  • Marlene Chen

    PRINCIPAL, OLSON KUNDIG

  • Malachi Genki and Tiffany Y'vonne

    TALENTED BUILDER + FUTURE LEADER and COMMUNITY CULTIVATION PRACTITIONER

  • Gail Neal

    DIRECTOR, MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN AND FAMILY HOPE CENTER

  • Matt Mazur-Hart

    COMMUNITY FACILITES MANAGER, WA STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

  • Sally Knodell

    DIRECTOR OF ARCHITECTURE & COMMUNITY FACILITIES LEAD, ENVIRONMENTAL WORKS

  • Aliza Yair

    CHILD CARE LICENSING CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT MANAGER, WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES

  • Katie Walters-Krohn

    DIRECTOR, THE STUDIO AT UNIVERSITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL INFANT TODDLER PROGRAM

  • Juanita Salinas-Aguila

    PROGRAM DIRECTOR, EARLY LEARNING, ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INC

  • Susan Yang

    DIRECTOR, DENISE LOUIS EDUCATION CENTER

  • Shannon Cruzen

    BERTSCHI SCHOOL

  • Debra Ren-etta Sullivan, PhD

    AUTHOR, CULTIVATING THE GENIUS OF BLACK CHILDREN