{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sb100\sa100\qc\ul\b\f0\fs24 Spotlight on Early Child Development Coalition Partner/Organization\ulnone\b0\line\ul\b Partnership for People with Disabilities and Mary Lynn White\b0\line\pard\sb100\sa100\ulnone The Greater Richmond Early Childhood Development Coalition (ECDC) is spotlighting the Partnership for People with Disabilities and Mary Lynn White, Inclusion Specialist with the Partnership as well as the ECDC Children\rquote s Health and Special Needs Committee Co-Chair. The mission of the Partnership for People with Disabilities is to partner with people with disabilities and others to build communities where all people can live, learn, work and play together. Today the Partnership operates more than 20 federal and state programs and is staffed by more than 100 professionals and students supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. Mary Lynn manages the Include Me project, which provides on-going training and technical assistance for early childhood professionals on including children with disabilities in child care programs. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she earned a Bachelor of Social Work. Mary Lynn has previously worked for the Virginia Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, taught parent education classes for various agencies in and around Richmond, served as the Associate Director of Family Services at VCU Child Development Center, and has been in the position of Inclusion Specialist with the Partnership since 2004. She also serves on the Virginia Professional Development Leadership Team for Inclusion, which is supported by SpecialQuest and the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. Since 2003, she has been an Outreach Specialist and trainer for Wingspan, which has programs that develop young children\rquote s social-emotional skills. Mary Lynn is an active participant on the Regional Early Childhood Leadership Council\rquote s School Readiness Committee, Steering Committee, the Home-based QRIS Task Force and the United Way\rquote s Child, Youth and Families Action Council. Mary Lynn ended her interview by stating that she is the mother of three fabulous, fairly grown-up children, the wife of one wonderful husband, an avid cyclist and a volunteer at the Fan Free Clinic. She also mentions that her very favorite thing to do is spend time with her family, preferably at the beach!\line\par \pard\f1\fs20\par } �