Carmen is the Director of the Head Start Program at the University of South Dakota. She serves on the South Dakota Head Start Association and the Association for the Education of Young Children. Carmen started her career in a childcare center and has worked for Head Start for 30+ years. She was able to work on the development of the SD Early Learning Guidelines and subsequent revision which includes infants and toddlers. She also worked to support the SD School Administrators Association on the development of the Preschool Levels of Excellence. Carmen is excited about what is happening in our state to support early learning professionals and the children and families they serve.