As DEY embarks on our 10th year as a national early childhood education advocacy organization, we are delighted to announce the selection of Denisha Jones as our Executive Director and Kisha Reid as our Director of Communications and Outreach.

Denisha joined the DEY Advisory Board in 2014 and began writing regular blogs for DEY. In 2018 she became the Director of Early Childhood Organizing and launched the first DEY Summer Institute in 2019. In 2020 Denisha joined Blakely Bundy as co-director and beginning August 1st will serve as the first DEY Executive Director.

Kisha Reid began working with DEY in 2019 as part of our Teacher Speak Out Series. She joined the leadership board in 2021 and launched the DEY Podcast in 2022. Kisha begins her new role as Director of Communications and Outreach in July 2022.

Please join us in welcoming Denisha and Kisha as they take on their new positions within DEY.

Learn more about Denisha Jones and Kisha Reid below.

Denisha Jones joined the DEY Advisory Board in 2014 and worked as the Director of Early Childhood Organizing and Co-Director before becoming the Executive Director. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of the District of Columbia, a PhD. in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana University, and a J.D. from the University of the District of Columbia. Denisha is a part-time faculty member at Sarah Lawrence College and Howard University. Previously, Denisha worked at Trinity Washington University, first in the College of Arts and Sciences as an assistant professor and program chair for undergraduate elementary and early childhood programs and, most recently, in the School of Education as director of teacher education and assistant professor.

Kisha Reid is the owner and director of Discovery Early Learning Center:  A Place for Childhood, a wonderful authentic early years program in Poolesville, Maryland. She has been in the early childhood field for 28 years and continues to actively work in the classroom with children 0-6 years old. Her passion for authentic childhood has led her to found an advocacy group called Play Empowers which focuses on promoting developmentally appropriate play-based education for young children.