Who We Are
Early Matters is a statewide collaborative of business, civic, education, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders dedicated to economic mobility and prosperity for all Texas families through strategic investments in both policies and practices that support children birth – age 8.
Early Matters El Paso
Early Matters Permian Basin
Early Matters New Braunfels
Early Matters Dallas
Amber.Shields@commitpartnership.org
earlymattersdallas.org
Early Matters Greater Austin
Aaron.Delao@uwatx.org
earlymattersgreateraustin.org
Early Matters El Paso
earlymatterselpaso.net
Santrice.Jones@harriscountytx.gov
Raul@aaf-hf.org
Early Matters San Antonio
mark.larson@earlymatterssa.org
Child Well-Being Movement
haleyoconnell@unitedwaywaco.org
mclennancountychildwellbeing.org
Our Areas of Focus
Child Care
Families have access to affordable, quality early childhood environments for children 0-3 that help their children learn and develop.
ECE Workforce
0-8 educators are well-trained, well-compensated and have access to professional supports
Pre-Kindergarten
3 and 4-year-old children have access to and are engaged in quality pre-kindergarten programs that prepare them for school success.
K-3rd Public Education
Early elementary students receive the education they need to perform at grade level by 3rd grade.
Why Early Childhood Education?
Investing in quality early childhood education now is the best way to support existing families in the workforce and ensure a more qualified, higher skilled workforce in the future.
The extraordinary development that occurs from birth to age 5 forms the bedrock for lifelong health, intellectual ability, emotional well-being, and social functioning.
Early Childhood is a smart investment, leading to a 13.7% ROI.
The learning gap is evident by third grade and only 15% of school districts nationwide can produce enough academic growth in a year to close it by high school graduation.
Children in high quality early childhood environments are four times more likely to graduate from high school or college, enabling them to fill our future workforce needs.
Legislative Advocacy
Our coalition is dedicated to influencing state policy that is aligned with our goals. We bring stakeholder voices to the capitol to ensure policy is informed by data and real-world experience.
Proud Member: Employers For Childcare Task Force
Early Matters Texas is a co-founder of the Employers for Childcare Task Force, which as a group of Texas employers, is working to expand working families’ access to affordable, high-quality childcare in Texas. Learn more here.
Meet Our Team
Wendy Uptain is the Executive Director of Early Matters Texas. Prior to this role, Wendy managed a $6M philanthropic portfolio at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation in Chicago, investing in organizations and initiatives for young children and their families.
Wendy began her career in the classroom as an educator. After teaching for several years, she transitioned into education policy and advocacy. She has provided recommendations and consultation to national policymakers and state agency leaders on a range of issues including early childhood education and care and teacher preparation. She founded the Hope Street Group Fellowship, a leadership program for teachers to learn about and influence national and state education policy. Wendy has also worked at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In 2011, she was honored as a White House Champion of Change for her work in education advocacy and community engagement. Wendy has a BA in Early Childhood Education from Brigham Young University and an MPA focused in Education Policy from the George Washington University.
Wendy Uptain is the Executive Director of Early Matters Texas. Prior to this role, Wendy managed a $6M philanthropic portfolio at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation in Chicago, investing in organizations and initiatives for young children and their families.
Wendy began her career in the classroom as an educator. After teaching for several years, she transitioned into education policy and advocacy. She has provided recommendations and consultation to national policymakers and state agency leaders on a range of issues including early childhood education and care and teacher preparation. She founded the Hope Street Group Fellowship, a leadership program for teachers to learn about and influence national and state education policy. Wendy has also worked at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In 2011, she was honored as a White House Champion of Change for her work in education advocacy and community engagement. Wendy has a BA in Early Childhood Education from Brigham Young University and an MPA focused in Education Policy from the George Washington University.
Lauren Ammons serves as the Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships for Early Matters Texas. Prior to this role, she led school partnership development and management for City Teaching Alliance, a teacher residency program dedicated to building effective, career-long educators. Lauren began her career as a classroom teacher for Garland Independent School District, teaching bilingual first and third-grade classes. After teaching, she transitioned to work in the out-of-school-time field. In that work, Lauren supported the data collection and evaluation efforts for the regional backbone organization, Dallas Afterschool.
Lauren holds a master’s degree in Education Policy & Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. Lauren is a Commit to Leaders (formerly Leadership ISD) alumna and member of the Junior League of Dallas.
Lauren Ammons serves as the Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships for Early Matters Texas. Prior to this role, she led school partnership development and management for City Teaching Alliance, a teacher residency program dedicated to building effective, career-long educators. Lauren began her career as a classroom teacher for Garland Independent School District, teaching bilingual first and third-grade classes. After teaching, she transitioned to work in the out-of-school-time field. In that work, Lauren supported the data collection and evaluation efforts for the regional backbone organization, Dallas Afterschool.
Lauren holds a master’s degree in Education Policy & Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. Lauren is a Commit to Leaders (formerly Leadership ISD) alumna and member of the Junior League of Dallas.
Our Board
Libby McCabe provides consulting services to clients on state regulatory and legislative policy. In 2011, Libby joined the founding team and the board of the Commit Partnership in Dallas, which has grown to be the nation’s largest educational community-based collective impact organization. Until February 2023, she served as the Senior Policy Advisor at Commit, overseeing all regulatory and state legislative policy, working to implement statewide systemic reforms to improve educational outcomes from early childhood through postsecondary. During her tenure, Commit’s policy team had an 80% success rate for prioritized legislation, creating $8 Bn in new funding to address root causes to improve student outcomes. She continues to serve on the board of Commit and also serves on the Teach for America DFW Advisory Board. Prior to joining Commit, Libby worked in New York City as both an entrepreneur and attorney.
Libby is a member of the Texas and New York bars. Libby graduated from Duke University and Harvard Law School.
Libby McCabe provides consulting services to clients on state regulatory and legislative policy. In 2011, Libby joined the founding team and the board of the Commit Partnership in Dallas, which has grown to be the nation’s largest educational community-based collective impact organization. Until February 2023, she served as the Senior Policy Advisor at Commit, overseeing all regulatory and state legislative policy, working to implement statewide systemic reforms to improve educational outcomes from early childhood through postsecondary. During her tenure, Commit’s policy team had an 80% success rate for prioritized legislation, creating $8 Bn in new funding to address root causes to improve student outcomes. She continues to serve on the board of Commit and also serves on the Teach for America DFW Advisory Board. Prior to joining Commit, Libby worked in New York City as both an entrepreneur and attorney.
Libby is a member of the Texas and New York bars. Libby graduated from Duke University and Harvard Law School.
Elaine Mendoza is a technology entrepreneur and is founder, President, and CEO of Conceptual MindWorks, Inc. (CMI). Established in 1990, CMI is a biotechnology and medical informatics company located in San Antonio, Texas.
Ms. Mendoza was appointed to the Board of Regents (BOR) of the Texas A&M University System in 2011 by Governor Rick Perry and reappointed in 2017 by Governor Greg Abbott. In 2019, she was elected Chairman of the BOR. During her service, Ms. Mendoza chaired the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs (CASA) and served on the audit and finance committees and two, two-year terms as Vice Chairman. She completed two back-to-back terms in 2023.
In 2017, Ms. Mendoza was asked to serve on The Holdsworth Center Board after having served on the organizing board which designed the structure and program of work of the organization.
Appointed in 2013, then reappointed every two years by the Mayor of San Antonio, Ms. Mendoza continues to serve as Chair of the Early Childhood Education Municipal Development Corporation Board of Directors (Pre-K 4 SA).
She also served as the 2004 and 2005 Chair of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In 2005, she was appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and served until 2011. She served as the 2001 – 2003 Chairperson of the Board of the Alamo Workforce Development, now called “Workforce Solutions Alamo”. Nationally, she was appointed by Senator Trent Lott to the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology (CAWMSET) in 1999-2000, later being selected as Chairperson.
Elaine Mendoza received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Elaine Mendoza is a technology entrepreneur and is founder, President, and CEO of Conceptual MindWorks, Inc. (CMI). Established in 1990, CMI is a biotechnology and medical informatics company located in San Antonio, Texas.
Ms. Mendoza was appointed to the Board of Regents (BOR) of the Texas A&M University System in 2011 by Governor Rick Perry and reappointed in 2017 by Governor Greg Abbott. In 2019, she was elected Chairman of the BOR. During her service, Ms. Mendoza chaired the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs (CASA) and served on the audit and finance committees and two, two-year terms as Vice Chairman. She completed two back-to-back terms in 2023.
In 2017, Ms. Mendoza was asked to serve on The Holdsworth Center Board after having served on the organizing board which designed the structure and program of work of the organization.
Appointed in 2013, then reappointed every two years by the Mayor of San Antonio, Ms. Mendoza continues to serve as Chair of the Early Childhood Education Municipal Development Corporation Board of Directors (Pre-K 4 SA).
She also served as the 2004 and 2005 Chair of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In 2005, she was appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and served until 2011. She served as the 2001 – 2003 Chairperson of the Board of the Alamo Workforce Development, now called “Workforce Solutions Alamo”. Nationally, she was appointed by Senator Trent Lott to the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology (CAWMSET) in 1999-2000, later being selected as Chairperson.
Elaine Mendoza received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Alfreda B. Norman is an experienced bank and board executive deploying strategic financial frameworks to help public, private, and non-profit organizations transform communities. Alfreda’s mission is to financially empower marginalized communities by addressing market failures and economic injustice.
Ms. Norman’s distinguished career most recently includes 20 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas where she was expert in identifying economic challenges and opportunities, forging partnerships with all levels of stakeholders, and inspiring people and organizations to action using innovative solutions and practices. As the Dallas Fed’s immediate past Senior Vice President and Public Information Officer and a member of the Executive Leadership Team since 2014, Ms. Norman’s far-reaching responsibilities included setting strategy and driving results for the Bank’s corporate, executive, and digital communications, and for community and economic development initiatives. During her tenure, Alfreda amplified the Bank’s thought leadership to broad audiences promoting economic growth and inclusion and advancing understanding of the economy and the Federal Reserve System.
Among her other leadership roles, Norman was hired as one of Bank of America’s first neighborhood development officers where she directed the community reinvestment strategy to extend credit to low-income communities in Texas. She also previously held management positions at the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs and The Container Store corporate headquarters in Dallas. Currently, Ms. Norman is Co-Chair of the Fort Worth Mayor’s Child-Care Blue Ribbon Action Committee and the Texas Opportunity Youth Network Leadership Council. Norman serves on a number of prestigious boards including the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Meadows Foundation, Commit Partnership, Dallas College Foundation, and UT Southwestern Medical Foundation. She is also an advisory board member for Year Up Texas and the Jr. League; and is a member of the Charter 100 and Dallas Assembly.
Norman earned a bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University and is an alum of the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Retail Banking. Alfreda and her husband raised two children, live in Dallas, and love to play tennis and travel. A highly sought out speaker and adviser who always puts her mission and the entities to which she is dedicated first, Ms. Norman leaves a lasting mark on the organizations and people with whom she collaborates, those she mentors, and the lives she changes through her work.
Alfreda B. Norman is an experienced bank and board executive deploying strategic financial frameworks to help public, private, and non-profit organizations transform communities. Alfreda’s mission is to financially empower marginalized communities by addressing market failures and economic injustice.
Ms. Norman’s distinguished career most recently includes 20 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas where she was expert in identifying economic challenges and opportunities, forging partnerships with all levels of stakeholders, and inspiring people and organizations to action using innovative solutions and practices. As the Dallas Fed’s immediate past Senior Vice President and Public Information Officer and a member of the Executive Leadership Team since 2014, Ms. Norman’s far-reaching responsibilities included setting strategy and driving results for the Bank’s corporate, executive, and digital communications, and for community and economic development initiatives. During her tenure, Alfreda amplified the Bank’s thought leadership to broad audiences promoting economic growth and inclusion and advancing understanding of the economy and the Federal Reserve System.
Among her other leadership roles, Norman was hired as one of Bank of America’s first neighborhood development officers where she directed the community reinvestment strategy to extend credit to low-income communities in Texas. She also previously held management positions at the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs and The Container Store corporate headquarters in Dallas. Currently, Ms. Norman is Co-Chair of the Fort Worth Mayor’s Child-Care Blue Ribbon Action Committee and the Texas Opportunity Youth Network Leadership Council. Norman serves on a number of prestigious boards including the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Meadows Foundation, Commit Partnership, Dallas College Foundation, and UT Southwestern Medical Foundation. She is also an advisory board member for Year Up Texas and the Jr. League; and is a member of the Charter 100 and Dallas Assembly.
Norman earned a bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University and is an alum of the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Retail Banking. Alfreda and her husband raised two children, live in Dallas, and love to play tennis and travel. A highly sought out speaker and adviser who always puts her mission and the entities to which she is dedicated first, Ms. Norman leaves a lasting mark on the organizations and people with whom she collaborates, those she mentors, and the lives she changes through her work.
Current Job Openings
The Director of Business Partnerships and Strategy will lead Early Matters statewide effort to strengthen and mobilize the business voice for early childhood success. This leader will develop and support regional business advisory boards, expand and engage the statewide Employers for Child Care Task Force, and elevate innovative employer-led solutions that address workforce challenges.
Do not fill.
Organizational Overview
Early Matters is a statewide collaborative of business, civic, education, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders who are dedicated to economic mobility for Texas families by investing in policies and practices that support children birth – age 8.
With operations in nine regions (Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Panhandle, Permian Basin, New Braunfels, San Antonio, and Waco), the Early Matters network represents 1.69 million Texas children under the age of eight. Each regional Early Matters coalition convenes local stakeholders to develop and execute a community-driven early childhood strategy, with the ultimate goal of improving 3rd grade academic proficiency.
Early Matters Texas serves as the statewide hub providing technical assistance and support to the regions and advocating for smart, bipartisan policy solutions that strengthen Texas’ child care system and workforce. With half of Texas students entering kindergarten ready and 49% meeting reading benchmarks by the end of third grade, Early Matters sees improving early childhood education as a key economic issue both for the workforce of today and tomorrow.
Position Overview
The Director of Business Partnerships and Strategy will lead Early Matters statewide effort to strengthen and mobilize the business voice for early childhood success. This leader will develop and support regional business advisory boards, expand and engage the statewide Employers for Child Care Task Force, and elevate innovative employer-led solutions that address workforce challenges.
In addition, the Director will explore a new line of work providing technical assistance to businesses, helping employers assess workforce needs, evaluate child care solutions, and build strategies that support working families. This is a highly relational and strategic role, ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of business, workforce, and social impact.
Responsibilities will include:
1. Lead statewide business engagement strategy
- Develop and oversee a comprehensive statewide business engagement strategy that activates corporate leaders as champions for early childhood and workforce solutions.
- Establish and support regional Business Advisory Boards, providing tools, coaching, and best practices to strengthen local engagement.
- Facilitate connections among business leaders across regions through statewide convenings and shared learning opportunities.
2. Grow and strengthen the Employers for Child Care Task Force
- Manage and expand a high-level network of Texas employers committed to advancing family-friendly business policies and early childhood solutions.
- Lead the design and execution of engagement activities that build momentum toward shared policy priorities, including in-person strategy sessions, communications, and webinars.
- Collaborate with EMTX’s policy team and external partners to align the task force’s influence with legislative and advocacy goals.
3. Elevate employer-led innovation and best practices
- Identify and document innovative employer strategies that address workforce and child care needs.
- Oversee the creation of concise case studies, videos, and resources that spotlight leading examples and inspire replication statewide.
- Partner with organizational leadership to integrate these examples into EMTX’s storytelling and outreach.
4. Explore and develop consulting and technical assistance services
- Assess opportunities for EMTX to offer fee-based consulting and advisory services to businesses seeking to support working families.
5. Contribute to organizational strategy and leadership
- Collaborate closely with the Executive Director to align business engagement with EMTX’s policy, data, and regional strategies.
- Represent EMTX at public events, conferences, and business forums.
- Contribute to fundraising and business development activities, including proposal development and funder relations.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate must have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Public Policy, Economics, or a related field (Master’s preferred)
- 7+ years of professional experience in corporate engagement, economic development, workforce strategy, or business-government relations
- Proven ability to engage and influence senior business leaders and manage high-level partnerships
- Strong understanding of the intersection between business, workforce, and early childhood issues
- Exceptional project management and organizational skills; able to manage multiple statewide initiatives simultaneously
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to executive audiences
- Experience planning and executing in-person convenings and large-scale stakeholder meetings
Preferred qualifications include:
- Experience in public-private partnerships or cross-sector coalitions
- Consulting or business development experience, particularly around workforce or benefits strategy
- Familiarity with Texas legislative and business environments
Position Details
Location: Early Matters Texas operates as a fully virtual organization. The Director of Business Partnerships and Strategy may be based anywhere in Texas, with a slight preference for candidates located in or near Austin or Dallas.
Travel: This role requires periodic in-state travel, including:
- Occasional trips to support EMTX regional partners
- Travel to Austin for advocacy or legislative activities
- Team meetings held a few times per year
- Travel outside of Texas is expected to be minimal.
Job Type: Full-time, exempt position.
Compensation & Work Environment: This position offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. Early Matters Texas offers a flexible, family-friendly work culture grounded in trust and results. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, we provide resources to support employees’ home offices and well-being..
Reporting
The Director of Business Partnership and Strategy will report to the Early Matters Texas Executive Director, Wendy Uptain.
To Apply
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to careers@earlymatterstx.org. Inquiries about the position may also be sent to careers@earlymatterstx.org.
Early Matters Texas is an equal opportunity employer that seeks to hire individuals with backgrounds similar to that of the stakeholders they serve. As an organization that embraces equity and inclusion, all employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.