about fccc
Meet the Staff
Valerie Collins
Executive Director
Valerie Collins has been a part of Family and Child Care Connections for over 20 years; first as a home visitor, then as the Coordinator and now, as the Executive Director. She started out as a family child care provider in 1995 with 3 young children of her own and a commitment to provide quality care to the children who have since become part of her extended family.
Here at Family and Child Care Connections, she is proud to work with a dedicated team of early childhood educators who strive for excellence and quality every day to help raise the profile of quality regulated early learning and family child care in our beautiful province.
Valerie has had the pleasure of watching the profession grow over the years and will continue to advocate for family child care as a quality choice for families.
Jennifer Newman
Coordinator
Jennifer Newman graduated from CONA in 1998 as a Level 2 Early Childhood Educator and went on to work in a Daycare Centre for 4 years before operating her own Family Child Care Home for 10 years. She was the first Child Care Provider to be approved under the Agency’s License. She joined the Family and Child Care Connections family in 2012 where she worked as a Home Visitor before accepting the position of Coordinator.
As a child care provider, Jennifer enjoyed helping the children grow and develop. As a home visitor she enjoyed helping providers set up their space and play with the children. As a Coordinator, Jennifer enjoys seeing the growth of childcare in the province and having connection with all the regulated providers.
Jennifer has been married for 22 years and has 2 beautiful children. She enjoys going on walks/hike’s, photography and being a “taxi” driver for her children’s events.
Stacy Stewart
Playgroup Facilitator
Stacy Stewart joined Family and Child Care Connections in 2013 as our Playgroup Facilitator.
Stacy, known as Miss Stacy to her little friends, holds a Level 2 certification as an Early Childhood Educator and brings with her 26 years of experience in the field. As the Playgroup Facilitator, Stacy enjoys providing a safe, welcoming, supportive environment where children can learn and develop through play activities and social interactions. A place where parents/guardians can enjoy a stress-free environment to gain social and support networks with other parents/guardians to help encourage and assist each other in their parenting journey.
Eilis Baker
Executive Administrator
Eilis started working with Family and Child Care Connections in 2009 as an administrative assistant and most recently a new role as an Executive Administrator. With 15 years of experience in the administrative field, she is a versatile professional with a passion for finances and is adept at managing multiple projects and streamlining office operations. She approaches all aspects of her job with a positive, hard-working mindset, and is passionate about providing exceptional support for parents and Child Care Providers looking for information about Regulated Family Child Care. She has two children and a beloved cat named Gary. When Eilis isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and is always living life to the fullest.
meet the staff
Home Visitors
Lisa Smith
Home Visitor – Metro Region
Lisa has been a home visitor with us for a little over 3 years. She has been in the child care profession since 1998 where she worked in centre-based care. After having her own child, family child care was the right move for her professionally and for her family. With 3 beautiful children of her own and 10 years experience as a regulated family child care provider, she understands and appreciates the hard work and dedication that goes into offering quality childcare.
As a home visitor, Lisa enjoys providing support to the providers in any way that she can. Her favorite thing about visiting the homes is getting the opportunity to observe how the children interact with each other and reading them a book or two.
Krista Collins
Home Visitor – Metro Region
Krista Collins has joined Family and Child Care Connections as a home visitor. She is a Level 2 Early Childhood Educator with over 20 years’ experience in the child care field with 7 years working in centre-based child care and 13 years in regulated family child care.
High quality child care is essential to children’s learning and development, and Krista is committed to supporting Family Child Care Providers as they work to create inclusive early learning environments that focus on learning through play for children in their care.
She has 2 children of her own and enjoys the outdoors, reading and restoring vintage and antique furniture.
Rhonda Norris
Home Visitor – Metro Region
Rhonda Norris is a home visitor here at Family and Child Care Connections. She is a Level 2 Early Childhood Educator and started her career in centre-based childcare where she worked for 16 years. After her youngest child was born, she decided that she wanted to stay home with her children, so she became a regulated family childcare provider while pursuing her childcare career. Rhonda followed this path for 6 years until she was offered a position as a Home Visitor with the Agency.
Rhonda has thoroughly enjoyed her years as a regulated FCCC provider and was happy to bring that experience and knowledge to her role now as a Home Visitor. She enjoys offering her support to the FCCC providers and their children.
Susan Saunders
Home Visitor – Metro Region
Susan Saunders is a new addition to our team here at Family and Child Care Connections. She is a Level 2
Early Childhood Educator who is continuing her studies to obtain her Level 3 certification. She has
experience working in and operating early learning child care centres and as a Regulated family child
care provider. In her new role as a Home Visitor, Susan is excited to support Family Child Care Providers
as they provide safe, warm, nurturing, inclusive environments for the children and families in their care.
She is a proud mom of two boys who keep her busy, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sheila Kinsella
Home Visitor – Metro Region
Sheila Kinsella has been in the Early Childhood Educator profession for the past 26 years where she worked in 2 regulated child care centers and operated a regulated family child care home before coming to work as a Home Visitor with Family and Child Care Connections for the past 7 years. She enjoys working with her coworkers at FCCC knowing they all share a love for children and have a commitment to playing a role in equipping them for their future.
She enjoys spending time with her family and being out in nature, camping and riding the trails.
Colleen Sooley
Home Visitor – Western Region
Colleen Sooley graduated from CONA in 2005 with a Level 2 Early Childhood Education diploma. As a mother of 2 and a grandmother of 3, she enjoys spending time at her cabin and with family creating cherished memories. Colleen takes pride in knowing she can make a difference in the lives of children and support those who provide quality child care to families in the community.
Diana Toope
Home Visitor – Western Region
Diana Toope is a Level 2 ECE who has been in the child care field for about 20 years. She has a diverse background in child care which includes working in and operating a child care centre, operating a family child care home, and in her current role as Home Visitor with Family and Child Care Connections. She takes pride in being part of the ever growing, ever developing child care field that helps enhance and enrich the lives of children on a daily basis. Her greatest joy in life comes from spending time with her family and in the great outdoors.
Sarah Kirby
Home Visitor – Central Region
Sarah Kirby has diverse experience including private, not for profit and early intervention childcare centres. Sarah has become an advocate for accessible, affordable, and quality childcare, which lead her to become a family childcare provider. She found it very fulfilling to offer an inclusive, diverse program that focused on nature-based learning for the children in her care, including her own.
Sarah believes that ECEs must educate themselves as well as others in best practices, and is completing a Bachelor of Education at UNB. She is a 2022 recipient for the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education and is thrilled to be recognized while working in family childcare, as it has shown the quality or early learning in family childcare and just how special it truly is.