About Us

I have been working in Early Childhood for the past 13 years and have held every role imaginable, from a teaching assistant, lead teacher, curriculum specialist, assistant director, director, and Regional Coaching Manager.  Through these roles, I have learned the overwhelming value of the adults in the classroom and that to have the best child outcomes, the adults in the room must be supported through trusted relationships. Being a part of the coaching community has shown me all of the amazing individuals in Colorado who have the same passion and desire to see the growth of our field and our youngest citizens.  I have an AA in Early Childhood Education, a  BFA in Studio Art, an MA in Early Childhood Education, and an EdD in Educational Equity and Leadership. 

Hi there! My name is Jacci Cradle, I’m a passionate Early Childhood Education professional with over 30 years of experience, currently working with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC). I’ve had the joy of teaching ECE at the Community College of Aurora, along with being Co-Founder of an ECE organization.

What lights me up is creating inclusive, nurturing environments where children can thrive and supporting educators and community to enable them to shine in their roles. I love organizing and building strong community connections, and empowering teams to bring their best every day.

I’m all about make a difference in little (and big!) lives, and I’m proud to be a part of a field that shapes the future.

My passion for building and collaborating with rural ECE workforce started with the Chaffee County Early Childhood Council (CCECC) in 2015 when I worked as their Quality Improvement Navigator, Project Coordinator, and Regional Data Liaison. From there, I moved into my current role as the SW regional coach in early 2021. My professional interests include working with diverse adult learners through co-facilitating Relationship-Based Professional Development (RBPD), reflective supervision/consultation (RS/C), along with exploring coaching-related data, research, and evaluation strategies. I am a proud mother of an awesome 4 year old. I hold a Ph.D. in Anthropology with a primary focus on human migration and biological variation, along with being an EQIT Infant and Toddler Specialist. 

Across my 34 year career, my mission has been to develop and enact social change initiatives that secure needed reforms for our communities’ children. 

In New York City, I was a Director of Community Schools for The Children's Aid Society and Adjunct Faculty in Self-Aware Practice at Teachers College.  In Colorado, I directed Poudre School District's Early Childhood Education Department.  In my current role as Northwest Regional Coach for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, I support early childhood professionals in eighteen counties.  I especially enjoy facilitating sense-based self-aware practice because of its great impact on all of us in the parallel process.  I hold a Pyramid Facilitator Certification and I am an Expanding Quality for Infants and Toddlers Foundations Specialist.

I have been in the ECE field for over 20 years and across 3 different states. I spent over 15 years as a director of a large childcare center before becoming an EQIT coach and trainer. That led me to becoming a QI and LENA coach before joining the CDEC as the NE Regional Coach. Over the last 6 years I have been able to follow my passion of helping ECE professionals feel empowered through trainings such as EQIT and Relationship Based Professional Development. 

I have been in the ECE field for 15+ years and have held many roles from my start as a Teacher Aide to Program Specialist, Education Manager, and now as a Regional Coach. Throughout my career, I found excitement in continuous quality improvement. I began practicing and learning about how to improve the quality of my workplace through attending professional development, learning about formal assessments, and connecting and supporting staff.