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Imagine Spotlight: Marion Hedin

April 27, 2023

This week, we’re proud to feature child care provider Marion Hedin from Port Angeles. MEET MARION Marion Hedin has more than four decades of child care experience, including running Country Fun Childcare and Preschool LLC from her home in Port Angeles for the past 18 years. She had always enjoyed working with children, and becoming a child care provider gave her the opportunity to spend more time with her son when he was young. Over the years, she’s gained experience and expertise,

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Imagine Spotlight: Basma Faraj

April 7, 2023

This week, we’re proud to feature Basma Faraj, a child care provider and Arabic community advocate in Washington. When she settled in Western Washington, Basma Faraj never dreamed of becoming a child care provider, but two decades later, she is now a Technical Assistant, a mentor, a trainer, and part of the Arabic Community of Care with Imagine. JOURNEY TO BECOMING A PROVIDER Basma grew up in Jordan with 8 siblings: two brothers, and six sisters. She then moved to the United

Read More
Mirna Cartagena

Imagine Spotlight: Mirna Cartagena

January 17, 2023

This week, we’re proud to feature Mirna Cartagena, serving as a mentor and child care provider in Washington. MEET MIRNA Family is very important to Mirna Cartagena, so when she started working with her sister at the home of a child care provider, she knew it was something she was passionate about and was eager to learn more. COMING TO THE UNITED STATES Mirna grew up in El Salvador and is the oldest of four sisters. She got an education there, and

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Imagine Spotlight: Jezel Ann Dagang

January 16, 2023

This week, we introduce you to Jezel Ann Dagang, who is child care provider in Washington State. MEET JEZEL She recently became a licensed child care provider, but Jezel Ann Dagang says her passion to teach kids started at a young age with help from her family. THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY Jezel grew up in the Philippines and was the oldest of her siblings. She says she helped them out whenever she could and often passed along what she knew to them

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Nadia Burkur

December 22, 2022

This week, we’re proud to feature Nadia Burkur, who is child care provider and mentor in Washington. MEET NADIA It’s not something she thought she’d be doing, but now Nadia Bukur says child care has become a passion for her. Working with the Imagine Institute as a mentor, she is helping others in her community become providers, and take advantage of the opportunities being offered. FROM CNA TO CCSG Nadia came to the Western Washington from Ethiopia in 2000, with her family.

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Imagine Spotlight: Myra Ann Astronimo

August 19, 2022

This week, we’re proud to feature child care provider Myra Ann Astronimo, working in Western Washington. MEET MYRA ANN She started as an Intern with the Imagine Institute, but soon, Myra Ann Astronimo found herself as a Mentor with Imagine U, helping others reach their goal of becoming a licensed child care provider, just like her. becoming a provider Myra Ann was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States in 2005. She and her family moved to Snohomish County.

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Imagine Spotlight: Mildred Van Wechel

June 16, 2022

This week, we’re proud to feature Mildred Van Wechel, serving as a child care provider in Western Washington. MEET MILDRED It started as a way to provide for her family, and now Mildred Van Wechel is coming up on 15 years of serving her community. Child care is something she became passionate about, and it’s all thanks to the help from The Imagine Institute. JOURNEY TO CHILD CARE Mildred was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the United States

Read More
Sabah Saed

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Sabah Saed

April 26, 2022

This week, we are proud to feature Sabah Saed, who is currently a Child Care Stabilization Grant Technical Assistance Program Lead. Meet Sabah Sabah Saed has been with the Imagine Institute for years, and says she is excited to still be a part of the great work they are doing. Sabah is currently one of the leads for the Child Care Stabilization Grant Technical Assistance Program, but she has had many different roles throughout her time with Imagine, and each step has

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Tatiana Trujillo

March 18, 2022

This week, we are proud to feature child care provider Tatiana Trujillo. Meet Tatiana On Valentine’s Day, a 2-year-old girl in Tatiana Trujillo’s child care facility brought heart-shaped donuts to share with her classmates. Watching the girl’s excited face as she walked in with the box reminded Tatiana of why she loves working with small children. “It’s sometimes bad days, sometimes good days, but those kind of excitement for little things, it makes me excited,” she says. Moments like these show Tatiana

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Gloria Vasquez Hernandez

March 8, 2022

This week and for International Women’s Day, we are proud to feature Imagine U lead mentor and state-approved trainer Gloria Vasquez Hernandez. Meet Gloria When Gloria Vasquez Hernandez decided to open a family child care businesses in Wenatchee, Washington, she knew she could provide a safe and caring space. She knew she could fill a need in her community. But she didn’t know how to become licensed. Gloria found herself frustrated with complex requirements and paperwork. She considered quitting, but pressed on

Read More
A photo of a woman with long brown hair and glasses

Imagine Spotlight: Marion Hedin

April 27, 2023

This week, we’re proud to feature child care provider Marion Hedin from Port Angeles. MEET MARION Marion Hedin has more than four decades of child care experience, including running Country Fun Childcare and Preschool LLC from her home in Port Angeles for the past 18 years. She had always enjoyed working with children, and becoming a child care provider gave her the opportunity to spend more time with her son when he was young. Over the years, she’s gained experience and expertise,

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Basma Faraj

April 7, 2023

This week, we’re proud to feature Basma Faraj, a child care provider and Arabic community advocate in Washington. When she settled in Western Washington, Basma Faraj never dreamed of becoming a child care provider, but two decades later, she is now a Technical Assistant, a mentor, a trainer, and part of the Arabic Community of Care with Imagine. JOURNEY TO BECOMING A PROVIDER Basma grew up in Jordan with 8 siblings: two brothers, and six sisters. She then moved to the United

Read More
Mirna Cartagena

Imagine Spotlight: Mirna Cartagena

January 17, 2023

This week, we’re proud to feature Mirna Cartagena, serving as a mentor and child care provider in Washington. MEET MIRNA Family is very important to Mirna Cartagena, so when she started working with her sister at the home of a child care provider, she knew it was something she was passionate about and was eager to learn more. COMING TO THE UNITED STATES Mirna grew up in El Salvador and is the oldest of four sisters. She got an education there, and

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Jezel Ann Dagang

January 16, 2023

This week, we introduce you to Jezel Ann Dagang, who is child care provider in Washington State. MEET JEZEL She recently became a licensed child care provider, but Jezel Ann Dagang says her passion to teach kids started at a young age with help from her family. THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY Jezel grew up in the Philippines and was the oldest of her siblings. She says she helped them out whenever she could and often passed along what she knew to them

Read More

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Nadia Burkur

December 22, 2022

This week, we’re proud to feature Nadia Burkur, who is child care provider and mentor in Washington. MEET NADIA It’s not something she thought she’d be doing, but now Nadia Bukur says child care has become a passion for her. Working with the Imagine Institute as a mentor, she is helping others in her community become providers, and take advantage of the opportunities being offered. FROM CNA TO CCSG Nadia came to the Western Washington from Ethiopia in 2000, with her family.

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Myra Ann Astronimo

August 19, 2022

This week, we’re proud to feature child care provider Myra Ann Astronimo, working in Western Washington. MEET MYRA ANN She started as an Intern with the Imagine Institute, but soon, Myra Ann Astronimo found herself as a Mentor with Imagine U, helping others reach their goal of becoming a licensed child care provider, just like her. becoming a provider Myra Ann was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States in 2005. She and her family moved to Snohomish County.

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Mildred Van Wechel

June 16, 2022

This week, we’re proud to feature Mildred Van Wechel, serving as a child care provider in Western Washington. MEET MILDRED It started as a way to provide for her family, and now Mildred Van Wechel is coming up on 15 years of serving her community. Child care is something she became passionate about, and it’s all thanks to the help from The Imagine Institute. JOURNEY TO CHILD CARE Mildred was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the United States

Read More
Sabah Saed

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Sabah Saed

April 26, 2022

This week, we are proud to feature Sabah Saed, who is currently a Child Care Stabilization Grant Technical Assistance Program Lead. Meet Sabah Sabah Saed has been with the Imagine Institute for years, and says she is excited to still be a part of the great work they are doing. Sabah is currently one of the leads for the Child Care Stabilization Grant Technical Assistance Program, but she has had many different roles throughout her time with Imagine, and each step has

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Tatiana Trujillo

March 18, 2022

This week, we are proud to feature child care provider Tatiana Trujillo. Meet Tatiana On Valentine’s Day, a 2-year-old girl in Tatiana Trujillo’s child care facility brought heart-shaped donuts to share with her classmates. Watching the girl’s excited face as she walked in with the box reminded Tatiana of why she loves working with small children. “It’s sometimes bad days, sometimes good days, but those kind of excitement for little things, it makes me excited,” she says. Moments like these show Tatiana

Read More

Imagine Spotlight: Gloria Vasquez Hernandez

March 8, 2022

This week and for International Women’s Day, we are proud to feature Imagine U lead mentor and state-approved trainer Gloria Vasquez Hernandez. Meet Gloria When Gloria Vasquez Hernandez decided to open a family child care businesses in Wenatchee, Washington, she knew she could provide a safe and caring space. She knew she could fill a need in her community. But she didn’t know how to become licensed. Gloria found herself frustrated with complex requirements and paperwork. She considered quitting, but pressed on

Read More
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