TRI is excited to acknowledge the appointment of TRI staff member Robyn Lopez Melton to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Nominating Panel for a 3-year term effective immediately. Robyn will serve as one of four NAEYC members appointed at large to work with three board members on the critical task of identifying a slate of candidates for election to the NAEYC Governing Board. In addition, the Panel considers and makes recommendations to the Governing Board regarding issues related to the nominations and election process.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (http://www.naeyc.org/) is the nation's leading voice for high-quality early childhood education for children from birth to age 8. NAEYC's mission is "to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources."

Reflecting on the appointment, Robyn says, “It is a privilege to serve the association in such an important and impactful way especially during this time of growth and opportunity for NAEYC and early learning across the nation.”

Robyn has been with TRI since December of 2012 where she serves as the Project Coordinator for Oregon’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), an integral part of Governor Kitzhaber’s school reform initiatives, meeting the needs of early childhood educators and care givers. She has been involved with early childhood education for over a decade. Her areas of expertise include project management, working with monolingual Spanish speaking families, young children with multiple risk factors and parent education. Robyn graduated Magna Cum Laude from OSU Cascades campus with two BA degrees, one in Liberal Studies and the other in International Studies. She is a Master Trainer through the Oregon Registry at PSU developing and providing training in both English and Spanish.

Congratulations, Robyn!