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What is a Local Governance Partner?
What is a Local Governance Partner?
Local Governance Partners (LGPs) are located in cities and towns that receive Early Start CT funding, or they are regional across multiple communities. They bring together parents, early childhood providers, and community organizations to strengthen services for children from birth to age five. The LGPs empower the community's voice to shape how services are delivered locally. LGPs are part of the Early Start CT system, but they are intended to engage and support all early care and education programs in the community, including those that do not receive state funding.
4 Components of Local Governance Partnerships
A group of community members who meet regularly to assess local needs and champion improvements. The Community Table is responsible for engaging parents and offering technical assistance and professional development opportunities to local early childhood providers.
Parent Ambassadors
Sydney, Lauren, and Doris are our community parent leaders who are currently learning from families about what they value and need as they raise their young children. As they grow in their roles, they will be available to connect families with resources and ensure that family voices are central to planning and decision-making.
The Fiduciary
EASTCONN is the local organization that manages the LGP contract and distributes fiscal resources to support the collective efforts of the Liaison, Parent Ambassadors, and Community Table.
The Liaison
Terry Surprenant, Early Childhood Specialist at EASTCONN, is the liaison responsible for coordinating this work, including supervising and mentoring the Parent Ambassadors and supporting community-wide early childhood efforts and partnerships. Terry also provides coaching and technical assistance to Early Start CT programs.
Doris A. Maldonado Méndez
Doris A. Maldonado Méndez
dorismm@contractor.eastconn.org
An inaugural bilingual Parent Ambassador serving families across the rural communities of Andover, Hebron, & Lebanon, Doris brings extensive statewide experience in disability advocacy, mental health leadership, early childhood systems, information & communication access, & her work as an international patient ambassador. As a parent of twin adult sons & two young daughters, her advocacy is grounded in lived experience across stages of child development & throughout the caregiver lifespan.
She is the former gubernatorial appointee & Chair of the CT Council on Developmental Disabilities, Chair of the Keep the Promise Coalition, Chair of the Unitarian Society of Hartford Accessibility & Inclusion Ministry & President of NAMI CT. She previously served on the CT Mirror Community Editorial Board, contributed to statewide public dialogue, was a Fox 61 and United Way Women of the Year finalist, & is a Top 50 CT Hispanic Community Leader Award recipient.
Doris continues to support families as a National Family Voices Project Advisory Committee member, a CT Children’s Research Bridging the Gap Parent Advisory Committee member, a Parent 2 Parent USA support parent, & a Guardian ad Litem with Children in Placement. A certified teacher, Community Health Worker, & bilingual foster/kin caregiver trainer, she is known for trauma‑informed, accessible, family‑centered advocacy.
In her Parent Ambassador role, she partners with Local Governance Partners to ensure families feel welcomed, represented, & empowered.
Lauren Curtis
Lauren Curtis
lcurtis@contractor.eastconn.org
Lauren is a mom of three children ages 6, 4, and 19 months who lives in Hebron. In addition to her role as a parent ambassador, she is also the owner of My Kid’s Place in Colchester. While balancing work and raising young children comes with its challenges, Lauren strongly believes in the importance of building and leaning on a supportive village. She is passionate about connecting with families, learning about the communities they are part of, and finding ways to better support and serve them.
Sydney Mayhew
Sydney Mayhew
smayhew@contractor.eastconn.org
Sydney is a mom of two daughters who values family, community, and connection. Raised in Hebron, she takes pride in still calling her hometown home. Sydney enjoys spending time at the beach, getting lost in a good book, and creating meaningful memories with her family. As a Parent Ambassador for Hebron, she is passionate about supporting and advocating for families and believes strongly in building a community where parents and children feel supported, heard, and empowered.
Parent Ambassadors: Trusted Parent Leaders in Our Community
Parent Ambassadors: Trusted Parent Leaders in Our Community
Parent Ambassadors are parents just like you. They are part of the regional Early Roots Collaborative — a group of local parents, community organizations, and early childhood partners in Andover, Hebron, and Lebanon working together to improve supports for young children and families.
Parent Ambassadors:
• Listen to parent experiences and concerns
• Share family perspectives with community leaders
• Help strengthen early childhood programs and supports
• Connect families to local resources
Parent Ambassadors are not evaluators or decision-makers — they are trusted connectors and advocates for families. They listen, share information, and bring parent perspectives into community conversations about local programs and services. Conversations are informal and voluntary. When Parent Ambassadors share feedback, they focus on general themes— rather than names or personal details—unless a family asks for help connecting with a specific resource.
If you’d like to connect, a Parent Ambassador would be happy to talk with you.
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