Across the nation in states like Montana, early childhood systems leaders are establishing family leader partnership and engagement frameworks, to create systems that work for every family. To support this critical work, ECIC’s National Center for Family and Parent Leadership (NCFPL) joined the Montana Early Childhood Coalition (MTECC) for a statewide convening on embedding parent leadership into early childhood systems on October 21, 2025, in Helena, MT.
The MTECC – co-facilitated by the University of Montana’s Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Montana; and Zero to Five Montana – is a statewide coalition of local early childhood coalition leaders and community groups focused on child care, public health, home visiting and other early childhood programs. The MTECC’s goal is to facilitate sharing information, building relationships, and leveraging resources to ensure local early childhood coalitions are well informed, well connected, and well equipped.
In partnership with Montana Parent Leader Heather Pecora, ECIC CEO Alicia Guevara and NCFPL Program Manager Sarah Zyburt facilitated the convening – attended by 40 coalition members, including parent leaders – to share best practices and support for embedding family leaders into the coalitions’ early childhood work.
Attendees gained insight into how these coalitions can embed parent and family leadership into their work, prioritizing the voices of those who navigate Montana’s wraparound early childhood systems.
Heather Pecora, resident of Superior, Montana and creator of the Mineral Moms Support Group for parents with perinatal mood disorders, co-facilitated with NCFPL staff to provide critical perspective as both a local parent leader and family support provider. This co-facilitation model demonstrates how authentic power sharing with family leaders can look. Heather established the Mineral Moms Support Group in 2021 and joined her local Early Childhood Coalition as a family services professional. She has since advocated for system-level involvement of families statewide.
“The 2025 MTECC Convening had a meaningful impact on me personally, encouraging me to step out of my shell and engage more confidently in both conversation and presentation,” said Heather Pecora. “It also created significant positive momentum for family-focused coalitions across the state by strengthening our skill sets. The networking opportunities allowed us to form new relationships, deepen existing partnerships, and broaden our understanding of the diverse needs within our communities. Exchanging experiences and best practices sparked innovative ideas that we can bring back to our local efforts, helping us approach our work with renewed energy and insight.”
NCFPL supported the Early Childhood Coalitions in troubleshooting common barriers to parent involvement, discussed case studies where family leadership was successfully embedded into early childhood systems, and provided toolkits that support the logistics of family involvement. The convening also facilitated connections between and across coalitions, building relationships between family leaders and early childhood experts statewide.
“This convening represents first steps for Montana’s Early Childhood Coalitions to strengthen systems-level family partnerships, giving them practical tools and best practices to fold parent leaders into this critical work,” said Sarah Zyburt, NCFPL Program Manager. “The National Center is grateful to the University of Montana’s Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development and the MTECC for the opportunity to connect with these coalition members, and we look forward to continuing this partnership to uplift and include family voices across Montana.”
Learn more about the National Center for Family and Parent Leadership and how NCFPL can support your organization with family leader involvement.