For Conference & PD Planners
Childcare staff retention speaker
What this is about: hiring, onboarding, training, and keeping the people who make a program work — and what it costs when they leave.
Who it is for: owners, directors, leadership teams, association members, and workforce organizations in early childhood and out-of-school-time.
Thirty-plus years in the field, a Master of Education, an ICF PCC credential, and a stretch as a Small Business Administration business analyst. Teachers are not coverage, and children are not widgets. Sessions start from there.
What Sessions Cover
Retention is four decisions, not one conversation
Building a staff pipeline
Recruiting that starts before there is an opening, and job descriptions that describe the actual job.
Read the guide to building a staff pipeline30/60/90-day onboarding
What a new hire should be able to do at each mark, and who is responsible for getting them there.
Read the guide to 30/60/90-day onboardingTraining adults the way adults learn
Why the annual in-service does not transfer to the classroom, and what does.
Read the guide to training adults the way adults learnRetention as a financial decision
What one departure actually costs, and what stability buys back on the budget line.
Read the guide to retention as a financial decisionThe full framework, including the BUILD model and the planner FAQ, lives on the staff stability and workforce training hub.
Formats
Shaped to your agenda, not dropped into it
Conference keynote
45–75 minutes. General sessions for state and national early childhood conferences.
Breakout or workshop
60–120 minutes on a single piece of the staffing arc.
Half- or full-day PD
Working sessions where teams leave with a written plan, not notes.
Virtual sessions, retreats, and multi-session series are also available — see workshops and professional development. Still comparing options? Read the planner's guide to early childhood keynote speakers.
Planner Questions
Answered before you have to ask
FAQ
Questions leaders ask
Sessions cover the full arc of keeping people: how a program is described to candidates before they apply, what the first ninety days teach a new hire, how adults are actually trained, what turnover costs in real dollars, and how much of the program depends on one person holding it together. Retention is treated as a set of decisions, not a morale problem.
Related Resources
Keep building the system.
Staff Stability and Workforce Training for Childcare Leaders
The cornerstone hub — how staffing, training, onboarding, and leadership fit together.
ReadEarly Childhood Keynote Speakers: A Planner's Guide
Who to know, what each one is known for, and the six questions worth asking before you sign a speaker contract for an early childhood event.
ReadRetention Is a Financial Strategy
Turnover shows up on the schedule long before it shows up on the budget. Here is what it actually costs — and what stability buys.
ReadTraining Staff the Way Adults Actually Learn
Adults do not learn from being told. They learn from practice, feedback, and reasons that hold up on a hard day.
ReadRecruiting Beyond Job Boards
The best candidates are rarely scrolling listings. Recruiting is relationship work, and relationship work starts long before the opening.
Read30/60/90-Day Onboarding: Confidence and Competence
Paperwork is not onboarding. A first ninety days built around confidence and competence changes who stays and who quietly gives up.
ReadExplore more of Kate’s work
The work of early childhood is hard. Booking a speaker shouldn't be.
Send the date, the audience, and what you are hoping people walk out with. You will get a real reply, not a media kit.