Elsa Jones

Elsa Elisabeth Jones is a Child Development Specialist and Advocate with nearly 40 years of broad-ranging experience including Head Start Center Director and Federal Reviewer, College Professor, Program Chair and Guest Lecturer, Research Assistant and Assessment/Intervention Coordinator for longitudinal, early childhood projects (Yale and Columbia Universities), Project Director for the Children’s Defense Fund Summer Freedom School (Hartford Women’s League Child Development Center), Project Director for the CT Lab Schools Investments Initiative (CT Office of Early Childhood and CT State Colleges and Universities partnership), and Commissioner for the National Association of the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs.

An Independent Consultant since 1986, she provides professional development for state-funded and private early education programs, state, regional and national organizations. Her areas of specialization include birth to five development, supporting families as children’s first teachers and advocates, cultural competency, developmentally appropriate practice and anti-bias education/curriculum, team building, and reflective supervision.

Ms. Jones earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wellesley College and a Master of Arts degree from the Tufts University Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study. Mother of two young adults, she cherishes her role as their lifelong nurturer, educator and advocate. As a fourth-generation civil rights activist in her family, Ms. Jones is a passionate voice for high quality early childhood education, diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and authentic family-staff partnerships.