Willie Rankin & Catherine Davis
About the Institute to Advance Child Care at Child Care Associates
IACC represents local, grass-roots interests and advocates for versatile solutions rather than one-size-fits-all policies. IACC's model is to innovate, provide proof of concept, and then work strategically to create the enabling policy conditions to scale. IACC leverages CCA's unique relationships to share with decision-makers the perspectives of children, parents, and educators for inclusive representation in policies and programs.
11:30 a.m. - Registration
11:45 a.m. - Lunch Service
12:00 noon - Program
REGISTER HERE
Cost per person is $35. Unpaid no-shows will be billed.
Willie Rankin Jr. is the Director of the Institute to Advance Child Care (IACC) at Child Care Associates (CCA), a department focusing on innovation, design, implementation, and policy hub for transformative ideas in child care.
Willie built a reputation in the Tarrant County community by building strong collaborative relationships with public and private entities to implement initiatives that positively impact vulnerable communities. Willie also gives back to his community through his volunteer work. He serves as the Chairman of the Zoning Commission for the City of Fort Worth. He also serves on the Board for Leadership Fort Worth, BoardBuild, and Early Learning Alliance.
Willie is a Marine Corps Iraqi War veteran who served as a diesel mechanic and has led teams in various countries. He received his Executive MBA from the University of Texas in Arlington and is the father of a seven-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter.
Willie has experience with a multitude of projects that have benefitted the community. While with Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, Willie Rankin worked on transportation initiatives, homeless initiatives, natural disaster response teams, financial literacy programs, mental health resources, and public/private partnerships. Willie Rankin also led community revitalization efforts that reduced crime, increased access to social services, and improved community development while serving as the Executive Director at LVTRise.
Willie is currently leading an effort to improve the child care system. IACC assists communities, municipalities, and government entities with the implementation of pilots to improve the child care industry.
Catherine serves as Director of Policy at the Institute to Advance Child Care (IACC) at Child Care Associates (CCA). With over a decade of experience working in the education, non-profit and policy sectors, Catherine is driven by her belief that equitable access to high-quality education has the power to change lives and transform communities.
In her role at Child Care Associates, Catherine works collaboratively with local and state-level policymakers and advocates to bridge the on-the-ground realities facing the child care system with strong policy solutions that create meaningful change and opportunities for young children and working families. Embedded within the Institute to Advance Child Care at CCA, Catherine also advises on the development and communication strategy for local pilot initiatives that have the power to transform strong policy outcomes at scale.
Prior to joining CCA, Catherine served as the Program Director for The Principal Impact Collaborative (PIC), a nonprofit program dedicated to supporting public school leaders to improve educational outcomes in their communities. While at PIC, she led the organization’s strategic growth, impact measurement and continuous improvement initiatives, including the design and launch of three additional pilot programs. She was also instrumental in developing the framework for PIC to expand its advocacy initiatives on behalf of urban school leaders.
Catherine also spent time at a leading think-tank, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) in Washington D.C., where she provided technical assistance to state education agencies seeking to improve their teacher workforce through policy and systems changes. It was during her time at NCTQ that she first recognized the immense power that state and local governments have to create meaningful change for students, families and communities.
Catherine began her career as a Teacher for America corps member teaching middle school math in Dallas. She holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science & Communications from Southern Methodist University and a Master of Science in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. A North Carolina native, Catherine has made Fort Worth her home alongside her husband and young daughter.
