What is the Parent Engagement Collaborative Action Network?
In collaboration with the National Parent Leadership Institute, the Parent Engagement Collaborative Action Network (PECAN) is the table where parents come together to inform systems level change for improvments in cradle to career outcomes.
PECAN Manifesto
Parents in our community are gravely concerned about the challenges facing their children, especially Black and Brown children. Parents have indisputable expertise based in part on their lived experience. Parents are highly motivated to partner with leaders and service providers to create a more effective infrastructure to improve outcomes for all our children. However, too frequently services and
systems-level efforts in Rochester have not included participant, family, or youth voices. When they have, often it has not been done in a meaningful way but rather as a token effort. This manifesto seeks to transform services for children in Rochester by utilizing families’ lived experience and expertise to shape, guide and lead.
Meet the New PECAN Co-Chairs
Meet Nahmese
Nahmese is the mother of two children, Nhaziah, grade 5 and Mehki, grade 11, who both attend World of Inquiry School #58. In addition to being a mother, parent leader, and community change agent, she is pursuing her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Brockport in Healthcare Administration with a minor in Business. In her role as co-chair, she wants to ensure that parents are seen as the experts in their children’s lives. She is looking forward to elevating the voices of parents by collaborating and organizing with other parent groups for the benefit of all children. What she wants parents to know is that it is imperative that they support one another and become informed about the policies that no longer serve our children. She wants parents to be effective change agents to disrupt and dismantle systems that are not meeting the needs of children. Her desire is for parents to be confident when advocating because she believes parents have the power to hold systems accountable. Once fun fact about Nahmese is that she loves to travel with her children and celebrate life.
Nahmese authored a blog about her experience at the building level in relation to getting her kids signed up for return to in-person learning. Read more here and see her tips for parent advocacy.
Meet Maurice
Maurice is the proud father of Maurice, Jr., age 12 and Malcolm, age 7, both of World of Inquiry School #58. He serves as the MultiSite Director for Quad A for Kids. In his role as co-chair, he is most looking forward to representing parent voice in change settings. He wants parents to know that they have the power to engage, explore and create change in the systems that impact the children of the village. One fun fact about Maurice is that he love audiobooks. He listens to at least 4 books per month.
Help Us Make an Impact
Partners
Action for a Better Community, represented by
Jerome Underwood
Gladys Pedraza-Burgos
Center for Governmental Research*, represented by
Erika Rosenberg
The Children’s Agenda*, represented by
Jeff Kaczorowski‡
Larry Marx†
Children’s Institute*, represented by
Ann Marie White
Terry Hartmann†‡
Dirk Hightower† (School Readiness Outcome Team)
City of Rochester, represented by
Mayor Lovely Warren
Sandra Simon‡, ROC the Future Secretary
Common Ground Health, represented by
Wade Norwood
Dina Faticone
East High School in Partnership with the University of Rochester, represented by
Shaun Nelms†, ROC the Future Chair
Lorna Washington
ESL Federal Credit Union, represented by
Ajamu Kitwana†
Maureen Wolfe
Farash Foundation, represented by
Megan Bell
Holli Budd‡
Great Schools for All, represented by
Don Pryor
Mark Hare
Greater Rochester Health Foundation, represented by
Matthew Kuhlenbeck
Heidi Burke
Healthy Baby Network, represented by
Sherita Bullock (Perinatal Collaborative Action Network)
Ibero American Action League, represented by
Angelica Perez-Delgado‡
JPMorgan Chase, represented by
Matthew Duncan
Monroe Community College, represented by
Andrea Wade
Shawanda Evans
Monroe County, represented by
Corinda Crossdale
Nazareth College, represented by
Daan Braveman
Katie DaBoll-Lavoie
Lisa Hiley† (School Readiness Outcome Team)
North East Charter School Network, represented by
Anna Hall
Ashara Baker
NYS Senate, represented by
Senator Joe Robach
Rochester Area Community Foundation*, represented by
Jennifer Leonard
Simeon Banister
Chris Dandino (Expanded Learning Opportunities Collaborative Action Network)
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, represented by
Adrian Hale
NYS Assembly, represented by
Assemblymember Harry Bronson
Rochester City Council, represented by
Malik Evans
Rochester City School Board, represented by
Van White
Rochester City School District, represented by
Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small
Annmarie Lehner
Rochester Education Foundation, represented by
Stuart Hencke (College Access Collaborative Action Network)
Rochester Educational Opportunity Center, represented by
Roosevelt Mareus†‡
Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative
Leonard Brock
Takiyah Butler
Rochester Public Library, represented by
Patricia Uttaro
Tolley Reeves
St. John Fisher College, represented by
Kevin Railey
Dianne Cooney-Miner
The College at Brockport, represented by
Heidi Macpherson
Katy Heyning
The United Way, represented by
Jaime Saunders
Jenn Cathy
US Congressman Joe Morelle
US Senator Kristen Gillibrand, represented by
Sarah Clark
*Provides backbone staff support
†Executive Committee
‡Governance
Supporters
