Fellow FTF Board member Helena Whitney remarked that member Solomon\u2019s Board service \u201chas been defined by a commitment to transparency and impact. She will be missed by many, but \u2014 as we know from her previous track record \u2014 I am sure her leadership on behalf of Arizona and children will continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Solomon is a past-president of the Governing Board of the Pima County Joint Technological Education District (JTED), is a past-president and member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence, and is a trustee of the Arizona Educational Foundation. She is also an appointed member of the Arizona State Board of Library and Archives.<\/p>\n
Board Chair Basha lauded Solomon as a \u201cstellar\u201d advocate for kids, a role Solomon said she would maintain.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will continue until I can no longer continue working on behalf of kids and families in our state,\u201d Solomon said. \u201cIt\u2019s been my privilege to be part of FTF Board. We have incredible staff and leadership on our board.\u201d<\/p>\n Gayle Burns<\/strong> has served on the FTF Board since 2010, after 27 years of experience owning and operating preschools.<\/p>\n In her remarks recognizing member Burns\u2019 years of service, fellow Board member Heidi Quinlan shared, \u201cGayle has been a strong and consistent voice for the providers of early childhood programs, particularly early educators. She has consistently advocated for fidelity to evidence-based programs proven to demonstrate impact on young children, while reminding us that we need to be sensitive to the realities faced by the providers of those programs.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, Quinlan recognized Burns\u2019 role as the chair of the FTF Legislative Affairs Committee. \u201cHer experience and insight has really helped to shape the growth and innovation of FTF\u2019s approach to public policy, including engaging our community in those efforts,\u201d Quinlan said.<\/p>\n Solomon applauded Burns for her bipartisan approach to board service. \u201cGayle and I are from different sides of the aisle. But on public policy with regards to children and their families, we\u2019ve always been able to come together,\u201d Solomon said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a great pleasure for me to have had the opportunity to serve with Gayle.\u201d<\/p>\n Newest Board member Sherry Markel said, \u201cYour intellect is scintillating and sharp. I\u2019ve also seen that reaching across the aisle and an absolute dedication to the welfare of children in this state. And I respect that so much.\u201d<\/p>\n In her own remarks, Burns said, \u201cI particularly want to thank the staff. I can\u2019t tell you how much I respect the staff and their hard work. It\u2019s really been a pleasure to work on this Board.\u201d<\/p>\n Nadine Mathis Basha<\/strong> is the longest serving Board member in FTF history. Her nine years of service include two years as the founding Board chair and then again serving as chair for the past four years.<\/p>\n \u201cSumming up Nadine\u2019s contributions to First Things First in a few sentences is almost impossible,\u201d said Board Vice Chair Gerald Szostak. \u201cShe has, quite literally, helped build First Things First from an idea to the thriving, impactful organization it is today. She helped write the ballot initiative that would become First Things First. She travelled throughout the state \u2014 community by community \u2014 first convincing Arizonans to put the idea to a vote, then convincing voters to make that idea a reality.<\/p>\n Nadine has been more than a leader at FTF \u2014 she has been our moral compass and our most fierce champion. We will carry on with the same determination and commitment she has demonstrated, and that perhaps is the best way to honor her.\u201d<\/p>\n Markel said of Basha, \u201cI hope you understand how many people\u2019s lives you have influenced and what a role model you\u2019ve been for so many of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Her praise was echoed by Board member Darren Hawkins: \u201cI\u2019m always amazed by your knowledge, but it\u2019s superseded by your humility and your invitational leadership. You invite other people to step up and to take the reins.\u201d<\/p>\n Basha said that she will continue her lifelong advocacy work, and will join the board of the Brazelton Touchpoints Center, a national organization focusing on transforming knowledge of early childhood development into practice and policy. Basha said this will offer her the opportunity to reconnect with the research side of her work.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile it\u2019s hard to leave, it is such the right time,\u201d Basha said. \u201cThis board is just remarkable; you each bring such unique set of skills and talents. I\u2019ve seen you grow rapidly in such a short period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>A former teacher, Basha has spent her adult life advocating for Arizona\u2019s children, particularly with regard to early childhood education within the state.<\/p>\n Basha has served on numerous boards and committees in conjunction with state and community agencies, the Governor\u2019s Office and Arizona State University. In 1989, she founded the Children\u2019s Action Alliance, a children\u2019s public policy advocacy group that has significantly influenced the policies that enhance educational and medical needs for families with considerable financial constraints.<\/p>\n Her accomplishments in the field of early childhood have been acknowledged by countless awards she has received over the years.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This year, three long-serving First Things First Board members will complete their terms of service: Ruth Solomon, Gayle Burns and Nadine Mathis Basha.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":20912,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[97,101],"class_list":["post-20877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-az-communities","tag-board"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Award](\"https:\/\/www.ftf-stg.magnetry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Ruth-Award.jpg\")
Consistent voice for early childhood providers<\/h2>\n
![\"Gayle](\"https:\/\/www.ftf-stg.magnetry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Burns-Award.jpg\")
More than a leader, a moral compass<\/h2>\n