{"id":6836,"date":"2024-10-24T10:44:36","date_gmt":"2024-10-24T16:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthfund.org\/a\/?p=6836"},"modified":"2024-11-07T08:34:20","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T14:34:20","slug":"pih-shannon-cotsoradis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthfund.org\/a\/pih-shannon-cotsoradis\/","title":{"rendered":"Podcast episode 10: Shannon Cotsoradis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to our Pioneers in Health podcast<\/a>! Here, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders working to improve health. We bring you guests from our state, from our nation and from your backyard to tell their stories of how they broke new ground and changed the landscape of health care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In episode 10, we interview Kansas native Shannon Cotsoradis<\/strong>. She serves as the director of policy and strategy at the Buffett Early Childhood Fund<\/a> in Omaha, Nebraska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Buffett Early Childhood Fund focuses its philanthropy on children ages birth to 5, paying particular attention to infants and toddlers \u2014 a population often overlooked in public funding but where early investment can result in some of the greatest gains and help ensure children grow up eager to learn, ready for school and inspired with hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to joining the Fund, Shannon served as president and CEO at Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative starting in 2016. She has a strong background in advocacy and leadership, having served as president and CEO of the children\u2019s advocacy group Kansas Action for Children from 2010-16 and as executive vice president and chief operating officer from 2001-10. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this episode, Shannon discusses challenges facing early childhood education and barriers to accessing quality care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Parents are feeling really stretched when it comes to paying for their early learning experiences that their children need,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The industry is really at a critical point \u2014 a breaking point, if you will,” Shannon said. “The pandemic was hard on an already beaten-down industry, and so the time is right for an infusion of public investment in the early years.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

To build out a quality network of child care, she said greater public investment is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There’s really no other way to elevate the quality of care without that greater public investment,” Shannon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The industry is at a breaking point, she said. The pandemic was hard on an already beaten-down industry, and the time is right for an infusion of public investment in the early years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also discussed how child care subsidies are important tools for providing access to early learning for families, as well as providing a source of revenue for providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a lot of states, Shannon said these subsidies often come with significant administrative burdens for both providers and families. Many families give up before successfully accessing the subsidies, or at renewal time, their case is closed because they didn’t complete the necessary processes, which can be cumbersome for families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Reducing the administrative burden both for the families that use the system and the providers that want to serve families that use the system is critical,” Shannon said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proactively paying providers is a must, she said, as oftentimes they wait weeks to get paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Eliminating some of those barriers is really critical to changing the system so it works better for families,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also discusses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • How some states are taking aggressive approaches to public investment, such as New Mexico and Vermont<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Efforts to deregulate child care<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The foundation’s approach to advocacy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    And much more! Listen now, and learn more about how Shannon is a pioneering leader in health care.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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    Listen now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Listen below or on any of your favorite podcast services. Like and subscribe to stay up-to-date with each new episode!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Episode 10 features Shannon Cotsoradis, Buffett Early Childhood Fund<\/em><\/div>