Mary Reynolds: Executive Director
Oak Park, IL — Human services leader Mary Reynolds has been appointed Executive Director of the Collaboration for Early Childhood, which cultivates the development of the whole child, birth to age five, by engaging families, local organizations, early childhood educators, caregivers and health providers to create equitable, nurturing and interconnected systems of support. Reynolds brings a background in social work and infant/early childhood mental health and a passion for strengthening the development of young children during their crucial early years.
In addition to her leadership and administration experience, Reynolds is a licensed clinical social worker, as well as a credentialed Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health specialist. Most recently, she has served as Vice President of Children’s Services at Casa Central Social Services in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, overseeing programs including home visiting, counseling services, center-based early childhood education and out-of-school time. During her 15-year career at Casa Central, she has also served as a therapist for young children and their families who had experienced violence and trauma and as Program Director of Casa Central’s violence prevention and intervention programming.
Earlier in her career, she was a Bilingual Safe From the Start Therapist & Case Coordinator for the Children’s Advocacy Center of North & Northwest Cook County and a Children’s Counselor for the Women’s Counseling Center of Jane Addams Hull House.
Since its beginnings in 2002, the Collaboration for Early Childhood has embraced the vision that all children should arrive at kindergarten safe, healthy, ready to succeed and eager to learn. The Collaboration’s focus has always been on how much impact the organization could have on the youngest among us in the community. For more information, visit: www.collab4kids.org.
