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Thrive Birth to Five collaborates to build our region’s early childhood system and are a trusted steward of early childhood resources for families, providers, and the ecosystem supporting them. Pam Booker is the Senior Manager of Coordinated Enrollment (CE).
Tell us a little about your agency and your role there.
Thrive Birth to Five (TB5)'s vision is that ALL children in our region will thrive, and race, place, and income will no longer determine success in school. We are the lead agency for Ready Region Central, providing strategic leadership, assuring full implementation of core responsibilities, and convening public and private partners to collaborate on strengthening Virginia’s early childhood systems. Our reach as a Ready Region includes the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex counties, as well as the cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond. We are responsible for communication, coordination, integration of early childhood services and resources, and prioritizing families’ access to high quality early childhood care and education services. As Senior Manager of Coordinated Enrollment (CE), I am charged with leading regional partners to collaboratively assess, plan, and implement CE strategies that inform families, streamline application and enrollment processes, and maximize enrollment in publicly funded programs like Child Care Subsidy, Virginia Preschool Initiative, Head Start/Early Head Start, and Early Childhood Special Education. CE strategies center the priorities, needs, and preferences of families, and advance policies and services that most effectively meet the needs of families.
When and how did your agency become involved with the GRTICN?
Our collaboration with GRTICN began even before we established our nonprofit status. Currently, we have team members actively engaged in two TICN committees. Our Family Engagement Advocate, Jaclynn Castro, participates in the Prevention and Awareness Committee, while I contribute to the efforts of the newly formed Early Childhood Committee. Together, Jaclynn and I also support the Access and Engagement team at Thrive Birth to Five, fostering a meaningful exchange of value with parents, caregivers, and the broader community to ensure everyone has the resources, opportunities, and relationships needed to support every child’s healthy development.
How has your agency’s participation in the GRTICN impacted its practices and polices?
TICNs offer a powerful and inspiring platform for bringing together partners from within and across the region. They serve as a vital space to connect, collaborate, and align our collective efforts in meaningful ways. Through shared learning, networking, and coordinated action, TICNs help advance our shared vision of building communities that are equitable, safe, trauma-informed, and deeply rooted in resilience and healing. The relationships and partnerships cultivated through these networks are essential to creating lasting, transformative impact. The resources and information we share with Virginia Quality Birth to Five programs in our region reflect and reinforce our active involvement with the GRTICN, aligning with our shared commitment to supporting trauma-informed, equitable early childhood systems.
What are some trauma-informed / resilience-building initiatives or goals your agency is currently working toward?
Thrive Birth to Five serves as one of Virginia’s nine regional entities, bringing together public and private leaders at the local level to collaborate on strengthening early childhood education systems. This regional approach allows: flexibility to address the unique needs of each community; consistency through strong centralized standards for coordination, support, and oversight; collaboration and innovation through the sharing of best practices; and collective benefit, enabling communities—and the Commonwealth as a whole—to realize the triple bottom line of high-quality child care: improved child outcomes, economic stability for families, and a stronger workforce for the future. We lead our work through a shared set of guiding values that define who we are and how we serve: accountable – we take ownership of the progress, outcomes, and consequences of our work; bold – we lead with courage, innovation, and unwavering commitment to children and families; equitable – we believe all children, families, and providers deserve fair access to opportunities and resources to thrive; inclusive – we intentionally create space for collaboration, ensuring every voice is heard and respected; and honest – we are committed to integrity by aligning our words with our actions.
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