Meet our Staff!

Elizabeth M. Bonbright, Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Washington, is an energetic and powerful advocate for children, creating leading edge differences that build momentum for children’s success.  Elizabeth is a valued, knowledgeable, and effective voice for the child care field, uniting communities, caregivers and families to foster good communication and support quality child care in Washington State.  Her main responsibilities include overall administration of the organization, implementation of strategic initiatives, programs and policies, and – in conjunction with the Board of Trustees – setting the vision and goals of the organization. Elizabeth has been advancing the quality of child care through Child Care Aware of Washington for over 20 years.  She was elected the President of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) and held this position for three years.  She has worked extensively with all levels of government, business leaders and community-based organizations.  Born and raised in California, Elizabeth has two bright, spirited daughters that she aspires to raise with a strong moral compass and to be inquisitive, independent thinkers.  Elizabeth and her youngest daughter enjoy spending time with their beloved horses: Hanalei Moon, Teddy Bear, and Patriot.  Elizabeth holds a BA in Psychology from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. (Biography)

Heather Moss became Child Care Aware of Washington's Deputy Director in January 2010.  Heather’s role is to support the Executive Director in agency administrative functions such as budget management and oversight, policy development, staff supervision and mentoring, and organizational development.  Before coming to Child Care Aware of Washington, Heather worked for Washington State government, most recently as an Executive Policy Analyst with the Washington State Office of Financial Management.  Born in Missouri and raised in Montana, Heather enjoys outdoor activities with (and baking for!) her husband, twin sons, and silver lab puppy. Heather has a BA in Political Science from the University of Montana and a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Washington.

Mandy Aaberg, Quality Improvement Manager, has been with Child Care Aware of Washington since July 2006. Mandy coordinates external functions of QRIS implementation by working closely with local Early Achievers (QRIS) site coordinators and coaches, partner organizations, stakeholders and state and federal agencies. She previously worked as the Professional Development Program Manager for the Network, where she was responsible for general management of the scholarship program and maintaining college relations through various outreach activities and community meetings.  Mandy’s previous work has included education-related positions in the US, Argentina and Costa Rica. She has worked with many diverse populations as an ESL and Spanish instructor and in outdoor education and conservation programs with both children and adults.  Mandy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Bilingual Education from The Evergreen State College and a Masters in Sustainable Development from The SIT Graduate Institute.

Colette Adams, Contract & Finance Specialist, has been with Child Care Aware of Washington since September 2005.  After a two year hiatus, she rejoined our team in September 2010 as the Scholarship Counselor for the WA Scholarships for Child Care Professionals program. It was soon discovered that her skill set could be utilized differently within the organization and she was promoted to Contract & Finance Specialist.  She now works closely with the 7 local resource & referral programs and other subcontractors/vendors to oversee and monitor contracts.  She has a keen eye for detail, is a problem solver and enjoys the daily challenges with this position. She also works closely with the Finance Director to assist with the accounting and finance functions. Colette brings over 14 years of experience working in the non-profit sector and enjoys the ability to serve child care providers and others.  Colette was born and raised in Washington State. Colette and her husband, Brad, have been married for over 17 years and have two smart, beautiful, high-energy daughters who are actively engaged in sports and extracurricular activities in their community.  They also have a golden retriever, and two cats to round out their busy household.

Lora Brewsaugh, Scholarship Coordinator, is a recent addition to Child Care Aware of Washington staff. Lora’s main responsibilities include case management and coordination aspects for the Washington Scholarships for Child Care Professionals program. Lora has previous experience in non-profit and higher education. She recently worked as Associate Director of International Programs at the University of Cincinnati. Lora has degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She enjoys working with diverse populations and has lived and studied abroad in Spain. She loves exploring Seattle and WA State with her husband Chad.

Marlyn Garretson, Office Manager, is a great asset to the office staff and to the mission of Child Care Aware of Washington. Marlyn has a knack for keeping the staff smiling and the office running smoothly; engaging in everything from guiding parents, providers and community members to quality child care, to developing, producing and maintaining the CCR&R Network’s web site. With over 22 years of dedicated service, Marlyn’s favorite memories are helping families, as well as gaining timeless friendships throughout the years. She previously worked for the Tacoma School District as an Assistant Teacher for deaf students.  After working so closely with children, she found that the child care field is highly rewarding and having the knowledge to guide parents in a positive direction inspired her to pursue her current position.

Ryan Pricco, Executive Policy & Program Specialist, continues to keep our organization moving forward on initiatives in the public policy realm.  Ryan coordinates all advocacy efforts for Child Care Aware of Washington and is an effective voice for children, families and caregivers in Olympia during the state legislative session.  When the Legislature is not in session Ryan focuses on grassroots mobilization, system messaging, representing us at key meetings with state level partners, staffing the Board of Trustees meetings, and assisting the Executive Director. Ryan’s favorite memory working at Child Care Aware of Washington has been watching Department of Early Learning and Thrive by Five come together as a public-private partnership charged with moving early learning forward in Washington State. Ryan is the oldest of three children in his family; he has a border collie named Bailey, and recently Ryan and his wife Sara were ecstatic to introduce their first born, Anthony, into the world! Ryan holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington.

Meka Riggins, Professional Development Program Manager, joined the Child Care Aware of Washington staff in October 2011. Meka is responsible for managing the scholarship program. Meka's most recent role was with Tacoma Community College Foundation in Tacoma Washington as the Development and Scholarship Coordinator. Her work with students, faculty and staff has prepared her for the responsibilities of this position. At Tacoma Community College Foundation, Meka facilitated and improved the scholarship process, maintained their donor database, enhanced the private donor stewardship program and she was a resource for training to area community colleges. Meka’s dedication to non-profits and higher education along with her new role as mother to Alexa and Thorin, has inspired her to become a part of the mission and goals of Child Care Aware of Washington.

Karen Sampson, Data & Evaluation Director, came to Child Care Aware of Washington in November 2011. Karen leads the organization’s efforts to collect and analyze meaningful information about our work, child care providers, and families we serve.  This information supports the organization and local regions in managing our work and demonstrating our impact on child care providers, quality of care, and children in Washington.  Prior to joining Child Care Aware of Washington, Karen was an analyst on the Accountability & Performance team in the Washington State Governor’s Office, where she helped state agencies measure their performance to inform data-based management and public accountability.  Karen holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from Wake Forest University and an MA in Policy Studies from the University of Washington.

Nannette Ward, Program Administrative Support Assistant for Child Care Aware of Washington, is an extraordinary addition to our staff. Nannette’s encouraging personality, helping hand, and technological expertise provides great administrative support and innovation. Nannette believes in the mission and goals of this organization and is a dedicated individual supporting the overall enhancement, efficiency, and productivity of Child Care Aware of Washington. Nannette previously worked for the University of Washington (Seattle & Tacoma). She is currently working to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Academy of Art University so that she may pursue a career field in documentary photography. Nannette enjoys spending quality time with her immediate family and her grandparents, as well as snowboarding and photography. Nannette thrives on building positive changes in the lives of children and parents alike, and since becoming a part of Child Care Aware of Washington, has helped foster exciting interactions with staff and community partners.