Focusing on the First 1,000 Days:A conversation with Kali Thorne Ladd,CEO of the Children's Institute
Chelsea King, Executive Director of the Oregon Health and Education Collaborative, interviews Kali Thorne Ladd, CEO of the Children’s Institute and OHEC board member. They discuss the neuroscience of learning and development during the critical first 1,000 days of life, and envision a transformed system where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Our mission at The Collaborative is to bring together education, healthcare and community to create new models of care that give every child the opportunity to thrive. This work requires deep collaboration and collective re-imagining, and it wouldn’t be possible without the commitment and passion of the unprecedented group of cross-sector leaders on our board.
I recently sat down with board member Kali Thorne Ladd, CEO of the Children’s Institute and a visionary leader with a long track record of working to transform early learning and healthy development for children and families in Oregon.
Kali and I talked about the neuroscience of learning and development during the critical First 1,000 Days of Life and the profound impact of trauma and stress during this period. She argued that our country fails to invest in our children to our own detriment, and talked about the impact of extended parental leave, universal home visits and financial incentives for families.
As Kali said, “We have our best opportunity to support thriving adults by focusing on the first thousand days.” I’ve captured highlights from our conversation in this video and I hope you’re as inspired by this dialogue as I am.
Kali and the Children’s Institute have been invaluable partners in shaping The Collaborative’s Upstream Initiative, which is currently supporting five pilot projects across the state to create local blueprints for a Child Success Model that will give families the support they need in the First 1,000 Days.
The coalition of partners supporting The Collaborative’s work is growing every day. If you’d like to join us, I’d love to connect! Please schedule time with me here.
In Solidarity,
Chelsea King
Executive Director
