Early Childhood Council Staff

Beverly Wood Thurber, Executive Director
Bev joined the Early Childhood Council in 2008. Previously, she had served eight years as Executive Director of another non-profit agency and had 25 years of experience in human services, in areas as diverse as child welfare, health care policy, suicide prevention, senior services and refugee services. She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Masters Degrees in Social Work and Public Administration. When not at work, Bev loves spending time hiking and traveling with her husband, visiting her two grown sons, or reading and doing crossword puzzles.
Favorite children’s book:
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

Linda Fellion, Assistant Director
Before becoming the Early Childhood Council’s Operation’s Coordinator in 2004, Linda Fellion worked in the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) program for 12 years. She was a licensed family child care provider from 1984 - 1986. Linda supervises the Referral Program coordinator, manages the agency’s data systems, and oversees reporting and evaluation activities. She has a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management. When not at work Linda enjoys balancing that left brain, data driven activity with more creative pursuits, including woodturning, smocking and photography, especially exploring places with her husband to take flower and insect close ups. She has two grown daughters, one who lives in Fort Collins and one who is a lawyer living in San Francisco.
Favorite children’s book:
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw

Codi Delgadillo, Child Care Referral Program Coordinator/Bilingual Referral Specialist
Codi is fluent in Spanish and brought four years experience as a Bilingual Customer Service Representative. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a Latin American Studies Minor. Codi coordinates the Child Care Referral program, oversees the maintenance of the child care referral database and supervises the referral specialists. Codi is the contact for child care supply, cost of care and other child care data. In her free time, Codi enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and daydreaming about the next big travel adventure.
Favorite children’s book:
How Groundhog’s Garden Grew by Lynne Cherry

Ellen Coker, Infant Toddler Specialist
Ellen has a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science. Ellen’s area of expertise is infants and toddlers. She teaches the Expanding Quality for Infants and Toddlers course, coaches at sites that serve infants and toddlers and works with the Ounce Scale. She is a member of the Touchpoints team and has worked with the Council infant and toddler projects since 1999. Her feline assistants Jack and Henry add humor and creativity to her work.
Favorite children’s book:
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco.

Kimberly Gentert, Child Care Referral Specialist
Kimberly joined the Early Childhood Council in 2011. She recently received a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University. Kimberly provides quality referrals for families seeking childcare, maintains a comprehensive database of available childcare programs in Larimer County and helps connect families with other community resources. When not at work, Kimberly enjoys climbing 14ers with her husband and playing games with her family.
Favorite children’s book:
Guess How Much I love You by Sam McBratney

Melanie Kelsea, Best Start for Babies Coordinator
Melanie joined the Early Childhood Council in 2010. She recently received a Masters Degree in Family and Developmental Studies from Colorado State University and received her Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Melanie taught preschool at the Southern Ute Montessori Head Start in Southwest Colorado for 3 years before moving to Fort Collins. When not at work, Melanie loves spending time watching movies with her husband, hiking, biking, camping and spending time with friends.
Favorite Children's Book: Once Upon a Potty by Alona Frankel

Lisa Sadar, Quality Support Coordinator
Lisa has over 25 years experience in non-profit administration. She has experience providing childcare in her home, was the lead teacher of an after school program within a child care center, and taught within a preschool. She coaches family child care providers and center directors and also provides some of our trainings. She has a Bachelors of Science in Biology and has early childhood education. She enjoys hiking and time outdoors with family and her dogs. Lisa oversees the Quality Support Services team.
Favorite children’s book:
Sam And The Tigers by Julius Lester.

Albertha Moorlag, Quality Support Coach
Albertha joined ECCLC as a Licensing Pilot Education Resource Specialist (ERS) in 2003 after 40 years as an elementary school teacher, preschool teacher and director. Albertha has taught and been a division administrator in an exclusive private school (grades PS-12), worked with youth in the inner-city, after school programs, and for twenty years was the Executive Director of a non-profit preschool. She is certified in three Environment Rating Scales: ECERS, ITERS, and SACERS, is an Ounce Tool coach, local DECA Mentor, E-CARE and TAC Trainer. Albertha has a (Bachelor’s) degree in Elementary Education. She is active in her church, is a Crossroad Bible Institute Instructor, and has served on the local and state CAEYC boards.
Favorite children’s book:
The Red Ballon by Albert Lamorisse (Albertha enjoys using it as a guide in telling the story. Anyone can soar to new heights.)

Judy Seybold, Quality Support Coach
Judy has over 20 years experience in the early childhood education field working with Child Care Resource and Referral programs as an executive director, coordinator, specialist and as a Training and Technical Assistance Consultant since 2005. Judy particularly enjoys working with child care providers to help them improve quality. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Social Work from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies CSU. As an outdoor enthusiast, Judy enjoys the canyons of Utah and mountains in Colorado with her husband, and 2 children: Aaron at CU and Amy at Fossil Ridge High School.
Favorite children’s book:
Max’s Bedtime by Rosemary Wells

Cathie McCallum, Quality Support Coach
Cathie’s forty-five years of professional experience includes public and private preschool, child care center, kindergarten, first grade, high school, and college teaching and directing. She has a B.S in Early Childhood Education from NY State University at Plattsburgh and an M.A in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Denver. As a Quality Support Coach, Cathie works with preschools and child care centers to help them maintain and improve the quality of their programs through observations, consultations, formal assessments, and trainings. When not busy as a college instructor, trainer/consultant, children’s librarian, or Lincoln Center house manager, Cathie loves to hike, quilt, bake, and travel to visit her three children and seven grandchildren.
Favorite children’s book:
"The Keeping Quilt" by Patricia Polacco (Cathie also loves anything by Jan Brett, Eric Carle and Tomie dePaola)

Lauren Powers, Professional Development Coordinator
Lauren has over 10 years experience working with children ages birth to 18 years in various settings, including 4 years with the Recreation Department at the City of Fort Collins. She has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism. Lauren’s responsibilities include coordinating the professional development program including college scholarships and trainings for early childhood providers, bookkeeping and website maintenance. While not at work, Lauren enjoys reading, hiking, visiting family in Oregon, spending time with her husband and daughter Stella, and of course the "furry" kids too!
Favorite children’s book:
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Nancy Almond, Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success (EVICS) Coordinator
Nancy has over 10 years experience working with, and on behalf of, young children including working as an elementary school teacher, director of children’s ministry, and as a residential camp program director. Nancy previously worked for the Virginia Department of Parks and Recreation in public education/information, coordinating training and conferences, and interacting with public officials. Nancy has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education/Therapeutic Recreation. As the EVICS Coordinator, Nancy supports Estes Park’s early care and education programs, coordinates training and professional development, offers resources to parents, and manages the Estes child care tuition scholarship program. Nancy enjoys living in the mountains, many outdoor activities, and being a part of a small community. Favorite children’s book:
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey