Dr. Beverly Lynn was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Programs for Parents, Inc. in January 2008. Programs for Parents (PfP) is the largest child care and resource and referral agency in the state of New Jersey. It provides services to over 1200 child care providers in Essex County and financial assistance to over 10,000 children monthly to help pay for child care services. PfP also provides professional development opportunities for individuals working in the field of Early Care and Education and training and support services for parents of young children.
Prior to joining PfP Dr. Lynn served as the Executive Director of Newark Preschool Council, Inc. (NPC) Head Start Program. As Executive Director, she had the responsibility of implementing a comprehensive early childhood education program for approximately 2,500 children in the city of Newark with over 750 employees. Preschool and family based services were offered in 40 Newark Preschool Council, Head Start centers throughout the city with extended services in 9 Newark Public School facilities. Prior to leaving NPC, Ms Lynn planned and implemented a $10 million facilities plan which included construction, renovation and acquisition of property.
She also served as the State Child Care Administrator for the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) for six years. As Child Care Administrator, Ms. Lynn was responsible for the oversight of all federal and state dollars allocated for child care services under the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF). The CCDF provided funding for New Jersey’s child care subsidy programs; state child care quality initiatives; and state contracted centers which served over 90,000 children. Dr. Lynn, in this capacity, spoke on a national, state, and local level to audiences interested in the cutting edge and innovative programs offered in New Jersey. As the Child Care Administrator, she worked with the Governor’s Policy staff and the Department of Education (DOE) officials to design the nationally recognized and state mandated Abbott Preschool Program which included the participation of child care and Head Start programs.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Rutgers University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Baruch College, CUNY, where she was a National Urban Fellow. She recently obtained her EdD degree from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education where she defended her doctoral dissertation, Child Care Directors: Gatekeepers to Quality. Dr. Lynn is certified in elementary and early childhood education and has worked in the field of early care and education for the last 40 years.
Dr. Lynn has and continues to serve as a volunteer in the New Jersey community having served as a former Board member of the Hillside Public Schools for five years; former district leader, former member of the Department of Human Services Commissioner’s Executive Advisory Council; and currently a member of the Essex County Human Services Advisory Council, appointed by County Executive, Joe Divincenzo.
Dr. Lynn is a member of the Omicron Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Montclair, New Jersey. She is also a faithful member and ministry leader at the Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church in Newark. She has received numerous awards and citations for her outstanding work in the community, county and state. She has two sons, Al-Tariq and Na’im and five grandchildren, Damon, Ymani, Ibn, Amir and Naledi.
One of her favorite quotes is by Denzel Washington. “Don’t aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.”