DC Head Start Association
The DC Head Start Association (DCHSA) began in the late 1990s. DCHSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is composed of a Board of Directors and members who represent Head Start and Early Head Start programs in DC. In addition, DCHSA is a member of the National Head Start Association and Region III Head Start Association.
Mission
To provide unified leadership and support for all Early Head Start and Head Start programs within the District of Columbia.
Vision
We are the voice of diverse Head Start programs (birth to five) that serves as a vehicle to educate and empower families, early learning professionals, business leaders, philanthropies, and elected officials to advocate for high-quality, continuous, and comprehensive early childhood development supports and services to ensure that all children are ready to succeed in school and in life.
Association Leadership
Thomasina Millner - Managing Director
Thomasina Millner has worked in education in various capacities for over 20 years, including founding an educational consultant agency for educators and organizations. Her passion for empowering her community propelled her to seek additional certifications in grant writing, and conflict management to ensure she can assist early child educators, schools, nonprofits and educational organizations in obtaining the best support for their children and families.
Ms. Millner is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Trinity Washington University, where she received her B.A. in Human Relations. She also obtained her Master’s in Management from the University of Maryland specializing in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Ms. Millner is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Walden University and is deemed to obtain her Ph.D. in Education Policy, Leadership & Management in 2025. Her passion to help others has propelled her to advocate on several platforms for children in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. She is a former educator and administrator for Head Start organizations, DC Public and Charter Schools. Ms. Millner is also a C.L.A.S.S. certified classroom observer and excelled to be a master educator for the metropolitan area where she trained teachers in various domains. In addition to training, Ms. Millner continues her passion in advocacy for young children and is honored to spearhead D.C. Head Start Association as the Managing Director to support all initiatives and partnering organizations.
If you have questions or would like more information, Thomasina can be reached by email at managingdirector@dcheadstart.org.
Patricia Dela Torre - DCHSA Board President
Patricia Dela Torre started as a Head Start parent at Brightwood Education Campus and served as the Chairperson of the Parent Policy Council and PTA President for two years. Through Head Start, she started her career in early childhood education as a Family Service Worker at United Planning Organization and, after working for 12 years at Educare DC, is now the Director of Comprehensive Services at that same institution.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at St. Paul’s University in Iloilo City, Philippines. She earned a Master’s Degree for Human Services at Liberty University here in Virginia. She also took Health Services Supervisor Certification from Head Start University (New York) and a CACFP Child Nutrition Professional.
During her tenure at Educare DC, Mrs. Dela Torre has spearheaded the project “Pregnant & Lactating Moms Circle” that paved the way for launching a center-based prenatal program in Fall 2020 now known as MoMs2Be. She dedicated her efforts at the wellness of both children and parents because she believes that school readiness starts with health and that young children are best prepared to learn when their health and socio-emotional needs are met.
She is a co-founder and co-chair of the DC Health Management Network. She presented in “Engaging Families in Head Start Programs and WIC” and serves as a panelist for Exemplary HSAC conducted by the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. She also presented at the DC Mayor Maternal and Infant Health Summit about “Eating for Two” and the Educare Learning Network 2023-2024 for “A Unique Approach to Center Based Prenatal Care in Head Start” and “Compassion, Empathy, & Staff Wellness: How to Bolster these qualities to re-ignite the ECE workforce.
As the President of the DC Head Start Association, she is passionate about parent involvement and firmly believes that a parent should be involved in the learning of her child to bolster and promote academic success in life.
Jamal Berry - DCHSA Treasurer
Jamal Berry is the President & CEO at Educare DC. At Educare he oversees the growth of Educare DC and owns the mission of closing the opportunity gap for young children. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pedology from Bowie State University. At George Washington University, he earned a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Specialist of Education degree in Leadership and Early Childhood Special Education.
Mr. Berry currently serves on the Board of the DC Early Learning Collaborative and is the Treasurer of the DC Head Start Association. In 2018, Mr. Berry was named a PBS Early Learning Champion, and he is a 2019 UCLA Head Start Management Fellow. Also in 2018, he presented on The Importance of Leadership at the Annual International Education Exhibition and Forum in Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Berry is an advocate for young children as well as for early childhood educators. He is a contributor to New America’s blog Moving Beyond False Choices for Early Childhood Educators. Mr. Berry believes wholeheartedly that if everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot. He is passionate about the future of early childhood education and is focused on having a lasting impact on the lives of early childhood professionals and families with young children.
Key Goals
1. Improve awareness of Head Start benefits through education and advocacy.
2. Share impacts of Head Start programs.
3. Advise policy makers.
4. Offer training and technical assistance to Head Start program staff and parents.
5. Represent Head Start programs in DC on the local, regional, and national levels.
6. Gather and share information on Head Start program strengths and challenges.