This week, we are proud to feature Imagine U Mentor and SEIU 925 member, June Steen.
June Steen
“We are a powerful group helping create the future of child care,” says June Steen, thinking about her peer group of mentors and the interns she helped graduate at Imagine U.
June’s passion for child care and education has been a driving force in her life. June worked for Child Protective Services in Texas and supervised foster care placements in Tennessee. Caring for kids came naturally to June, so when she became a single mother of five (including twin toddlers!), she sought ways to raise her kids, make a living, and care for others. In 1992, she opened a licensed child care that has supported numerous families as well as her own. Her training and experience with behavioral development in children and families in crisis made her particularly well-qualified. She welcomed the challenges that came with her new business and was grateful to find a career that brought her joy.
“We are a powerful group helping create the future of child care,” says
June Steen.
In 2018, June became one of the first mentors with the Imagine Institute’s newly formed Imagine U mentorship program. This relationship-based program trained licensed providers to mentor those child care providers who were interested in becoming licensed professionals. Throughout the mentorship program, June was inspired by the deeply talented women she met. One intern, in particular, had a huge impact on June and feels lucky to call her a friend.
June’s dedication to being a child care provider and mentor, as well as an advocate in her community, is truly inspiring. Her nearly 30 years of experience are incredibly valuable to her interns and peers. June is on track to helping her fourth intern receive their license and hopes to mentor at least one more before she retires.
Thank you, June! You inspire us every day!
Want to feature someone? Email us a bio of the person who inspires you at [email protected]!
Imagine’s community is as diverse as its members. While we all share a commitment to early childhood education, each person’s story is unique. Watch this space as we celebrate our community’s accomplishments, share their challenges, and explore issues we face throughout the field.