Linda Mills has worked in the early childhood field for over thirty years, and is nationally recognized as a leader in employer-supported dependent care services. Her expertise includes:

• Research for state governments regarding their child care delivery systems, in particular on topics such as school readiness, the child care workforce and recruitment and retention
• Corporate, university, and non-profit child care feasibility studies and initiatives including center start-up, tuition assistance plans, back-up care, and summer programs
• Development of collaboratives designed to support work-life initiatives
  Feasibility studies, needs assessment surveys and focus groups

Ms. Mills has vast experience working with early care professionals, parents, and students in a variety of settings. She has taught child development, early education curriculum and parenting classes at the college level. She has also served as a family services coordinator at a contracted care facility, which included working with parents on a weekly basis addressing issues such as work and home balance.

Ms. Mills has advised policy-makers on child care issues, addressed U.S. and European conferences on work-life issues, and lectures often at colleges and universities. She also has consulted extensively with resource and referral agencies across the country and is a founding board member of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). Ms. Mills received her B.S. in Child Development from the University of Rhode Island, and her M.S. in Leadership in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College.

Janet Hanrahan joined Mills Consulting Group in 2000. She conducts research, writes and edits for the firm on a variety of topics including child care program evaluation, early education, child care workforce issues, and work-life initiatives. She also develops research questionnaires, conducts interviews, and compiles and analyzes research for trends and key findings. She has extensive experience in writing and editing research reports, needs assessments, web-based articles and newsletters, child care tip sheets, proposals and work plans. Ms. Hanrahan is a former early childhood educator, and worked as a child care-parent counselor at a corporate work-life consulting company. Prior to joining Mills Consulting Group she worked as a writer and editor at a web-based company for child care professionals, families and pediatricians. Her educational background includes training in the family child care field, and a B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Jeanne Lovy has been associated with Mills Consulting Group since 1992, when she first joined the team. After a hiatus of seven years in California, Ms. Lovy has returned and is working on special projects related to child care program design, evaluation, and director support. Ms. Lovy has a B.S. in child development from Tufts University, and completed graduate coursework there as well.

 

Michele Cimino recently joined Mills Consulting Group in 2005. She has prior experience with the Veteran’s Association Research Corporation, where she supported researchers and managed grant applications, among other tasks. She has experience in financial administration, training support, program and data management. She has worked with many government agencies as well as non-profit organizations. Since joining Mills Consulting Group, Michele has conducted research, created and managed budgets and assisted with data collection and analysis on various projects.  She has a B.S. degree in early childhood education from Fitchburg State College.