Overview
This webinar highlighted the work of the Statewide Afterschool Networks (SANs) in increasing investment in afterschool, summer, and expanded learning programs. Statewide afterschool networks provide a structure for bringing together key decision makers interested in improving outcomes for children and youth through school-based and school-linked afterschool programs. In a conversation with three SAN leaders, the webinar explored the following questions: 1) What challenges and opportunities exist for achieving equitable funding for afterschool across different communities in your state? 2) What are some strategies and barriers to building public and political will for increased investment in afterschool funding? 3) How have you been able to create bridges between afterschool and the K-12 education system?
Presenter Biographies:
Alli Lidi leads ASW:NYSAN’s quality and program capacity building work and is integrally involved in ASW:NYSAN’s policy work. Prior to joining ASW:NYSAN, she was a Quality Advisor at Dallas Afterschool where she coached numerous programs to help them improve overall quality. Alli planned and implemented programming with middle school students for three years at the Old Firehouse Teen Center in Virginia and served as a Drama Specialist and Team Leader at Camp McLean. Alli holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama with a minor in Economics from the University of Virginia. She is one of the Riley Institute’s 2014-2015 White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellows.
Ardith Wieworka is the Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership (MAP), appointed in July of 2014. Before being appointed as CEO, Ms. Wieworka served as the President of the Board of Directors for MAP for 8 years while she was working as the Executive Vice-President of Child Development and Education, Inc., a statewide early education and school age care agency serving nearly 5000 children everyday. Ms. Wieworka previously worked in state government for the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission, the Department of Transitional Assistance overseeing TANF and Medicaid legal issues, and in the Office for Children, where she was appointed Commissioner in 1996. She served as Commissioner for 8 years under four different Governors and was the State Agency Administrator for the Child Care Development Fund during that time, overseeing both licensing and subsidy management for early education and afterschool and out of school time programs. Ms. Wieworka is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and of Northeastern University School of Law. Ms. Wieworka began her legal career as an Associate in the trial department of a major Boston law firm handling litigation matters for individuals, municipalities and corporations.
Debbie Zipes became the President of the Indiana Afterschool Network in January 2010, bringing with her more than twenty years of non-profit leadership experience. Debbie holds Masters Degrees in Psychology and Social Work, from New York University and Fordham University. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Tufts University. Debbie began her career as a school counselor working with youth and families in inner city schools in New York City. She progressed to lead career-based afterschool programs, and a city-wide community school initiative with the United Way of Central Indiana and Indianapolis Public Schools. Debbie’s current work focuses on engages cross-sector partners at the national, state and local levels to increase funding and resources, influence public policy, and strengthen the quality out-of-school time programs statewide. She believes that all children deserve a high quality education regardless of background, economics or zip-code and that out-of-school time programs are an education game-changer.
