District 2 – East Region

Ottawa Carleton District School Board
Ottawa, ON

Statement:

My name is Brigid Berry, and I am seeking your support for a seat on the Council. I am eager to give back to the community that has shaped my professional life. Since graduating in 1997, my career has been a journey of continuous growth—from my early days in home childcare to my current roles within an Ottawa-based school board, as a past Kindergarten educator, and current team manager, supporting several licensed Extended Day Programs and (more recently) EarlyON programs. I am also a member of the Program Advisory Committee at Algonquin College.

As a CECE mentor, I have developed a deep appreciation and respect for the College’s role in our professional lives as well as empathy and understanding for the RECEs the College supports. My practice and experience is further enriched by certificates in Children’s Mental Health, Diversity and Intercultural Relations, and as a certified Self-Reg facilitator. I understand the modern complexities within our programs, and I want to bring this perspective to Council if you allow me to represent you. I am running for Council because I believe in representing RECEs with this perspective in mind. Our governance should continue to maintain a clear focus on the families we serve as well as reflect the changing realities of our field. I aim to contribute a balanced, insightful perspective that respects your hard work and seeks to continue to elevate our profession through shared knowledge and integrity. I hope to earn your vote to represent our East region.

Statement:

I am running for Council because I want to contribute to the evolution of our profession. ECEs are essential for early childhood development, and I want to leverage my experience to continually raise standards and reinforce public trust in our work.

I’ve worked in early childhood education for nearly twenty years, first in British Columbia and then Ontario, where I spent 10 years working with children with special needs. Since 2019, I have managed the CAP’s education centres serving nearly 300 children, most of whom come from newly arrived, multicultural and Francophone families. My leadership style is based on inclusion, mental health, and treating educators as competent, invaluable professionals.

Over the past year, my team and I have maintained a specialized program for children with disabilities, integrating a social worker to provide broader support to families with complex realities, and secured funding to develop ten specialized training courses that have honed the skills of 176 early childhood education professionals. These achievements demonstrate our collective capacity to innovate, mobilize and genuinely improve the quality of educational services.

As someone committed to equity, excellence and quality in early childhood services, I want to represent a voice rooted in the field. I am committed to helping shape regulations that protect, elevate and unite our profession as a whole for the benefit of children, families and educators.

Statement:

I am seeking a position on Council because I am deeply committed to strengthening the early childhood education profession through advocacy, collaboration, and informed decision-making. Throughout my career, I have worked across multiple areas of the sector, including frontline practice, post-secondary education, inclusion services, program planning, and policy development. These experiences have given me a strong understanding of both the daily realities faced by early childhood educators and the broader systems that shape our work.

I believe I am well qualified to serve as a Council member due to my leadership experience, governance involvement, and longstanding engagement in professional and community organizations related to early learning, child care, and inclusion. I have served on boards, participated in sector-wide networks, and contributed to initiatives focused on quality, equity, and access for children and families. I value evidence-informed practice, reflective leadership, and meaningful consultation with educators across diverse settings.

I am committed to representing the voices of early childhood educators across settings, ensuring Council decisions are informed by lived experience and responsive to the realities of the profession. If elected, I would bring a collaborative, thoughtful approach to Council work, grounded in respect for the profession and a commitment to transparency and accountability. I am particularly interested in supporting initiatives that strengthen professional identity, promote educator well-being, and ensure that policy decisions reflect the voices and expertise of those working directly with children and families.

Statement:

In the early childhood field, diversity and inclusion are not just values—they are the foundations to the healthy, equitable development of children and families. Every child brings their unique history, culture, abilities and needs. The same goes for the families and professionals who support them. Recognizing and valuing this diversity is essential to developing inclusive, respectful services adapted to the reality of the communities we serve.

I’m running for Council because I strongly believe that my unique experiences and perspectives can help address the complex challenges linked to the governance of early childhood education—a vital profession. My journey has led me to work with children and families from diverse backgrounds, which has taught me the importance of listening, sharing and equitable decision-making. I have developed a keen sensitivity to the issues of inclusion, accessibility and recognition of cultural, linguistic and social realities.

I consider myself qualified for this position through my commitment to the quality of educational services, my ability to collaborate with various partners and my unwavering desire to improve professional practices. If elected, I am committed to representing the diverse voices of the sector, fostering transparent governance, and supporting decisions that put the well-being of children and families at the heart of our priorities.