Leader Spotlight: 6 Questions for Anne Wingler, Executive Director of Faith Presbyterian Child Development Center

Q. What is your educational background?
A. I have been in the field of child development for over 20 years. Before moving to Austin in 1988, I served on the child development board for a preschool program in Mountain View, California. After moving to Austin, I joined the Mothers-Morning-Out program at Faith Presbyterian Church and soon became lead teacher for that group. The following year, I served as an assistant teacher for St. Mark's Episcopal Day School toddler class and became lead teacher for that group the next year. St. Mark's School board told me that they applauded my talent to teach, and insisted that I begin formal education in child development. While still teaching at St. Mark's, I enrolled in classes at Austin Community College. In 2000, I left St. Mark's to attend college full-time at Texas State University, earning my bachelor's degree in the fall of 2002.

Q. What did you do before becoming the director of Faith Presbyterian CDC?
A. Concerned with the lives of disadvantaged children, I interned at the Children's Defense Fund in Austin from 2000 through 2002. Here I learned firsthand the business of running a nonprofit organization. At Austin's Children's Defense Fund, I managed nonprofit finances (creating budgets, grants management, accounts payable and accounts receivable); human resources (coordinating volunteers, managing new hire paperwork, timesheets, and travel reimbursements); event planning (statewide conferences, regional health enrollment fairs, and the annual Beat the Odds fundraiser); and program work (research, early child care education and health advocacy, and Katrina relief initiatives for children and families).

Q. Who or what drew you to the field of early childhood?
A. I am a mother of four boys and found myself very interested in understanding human development. When my husband and I started having children we wanted to make sure that we understood how to raise them with the best possible environment we could provide. So I started buying books on the subject and my interest just grew from there.

Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
A. Working with the families and their children. Taking care of their children is sometimes only part of what I can do for a family. I see a family struggling with the circumstances that they are in and do what I can to put them in touch with services that will aid them to be able to get their feet on the ground. I feel a great sense of satisfaction seeing them succeed in their goals.

Q. If someone wrote Faith Presbyterian CDC a check for a million dollars, I would...
A. Put it towards an educational fund for my staff. People don't realize how important it is to have educated teachers at this level of development. Just about anyone accepts that the major part of a child's development occurs before age 5. Yet they may not consider what type of education the person taking care of that child needs in order to understand what developmental stages a child goes through and how to recognize problems in that development and how to map out a corrective action plan or how to address more significant problems to the parents to help them understand what they need to do to address them. I would also update the kitchen. It really needs new cabinets and flooring. It's really a strong point to insure that the children are getting the nutrition they need to develop both mentally and physically. I would also strengthen the center curriculum to include a stronger cultural diversity component. I feel that in today's world that there is no excuse for not exposing kids to the many different cultures because the world is getting smaller a person must be sensitive to other's cultural background and be respectful of those differences. I would also improve staff benefits. They are entrusted with taking care of the most precious gifts we have and really do work hard. The teachers are on their feet nearly the whole day keeping up with the kids, the curriculum, and the procedures necessitated by the myriad laws that we are required to follow.

Q. If I'm not at work, you can find me...
A. When I'm not at work you can find me spending time with my family. My husband, Todd, and I have raised four sons. Shawn, 29, graduated from the University of Texas in Austin and works at a computer gaming company called "Edge of Reality". Christopher, 28, graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2005 with a degree in theatre arts and is pursuing a career in acting. He is also currently finishing up courses in auto mechanics as a second career opportunity. Our son Todd, 26, belongs to the Electricians Union and is training to become a professional electrician. Our youngest son Tyler, 18, is a junior at the Austin Waldorf School.


To learn more about Faith Presbyterian CDC, please click here.