FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2008

GOVERNOR BARBOUR APPOINTS COLEMAN TO EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL

(JACKSON, Mississippi)—Governor Haley Barbour has appointed Nadine Coleman, of Petal, to the State Early Childhood Advisory Council, a newly-established council that meets requirements in the federal Head Start Reauthorization Act of 2007. Designed to advance the development of a coordinated state early childhood system, the Council will provide leadership and assistance to early care and education programs as well as state agencies that provides services for children from birth to school entry.

“Nadine’s outstanding record of working to promote early childhood education in her community makes her the perfect fit for this new council. I’m delighted Nadine has accepted this important assignment; I know she will be an important contributor as we work to develop a centralized and more effective early childhood system,” Governor Barbour said.

Coleman is director of the Petal School District Center for Families and Children, where she has worked for 15 years. She has also worked as a kindergarten school teacher in the Petal School District for 9 years. A past president of the Mississippi Early Childhood Association, Coleman has also served as Excel by 5 community director. She is a member of the board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters; DREAM of Hattiesburg; and the United Way of Southeast Mississippi. In 2006, Coleman was the winner of the Bobby Runnels Leadership Award presented by the Petal Chamber of Commerce.

Coleman earned a bachelor’s degree from Northeast Louisiana University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is a certified Parents as Teachers parent educator.