About Teaching Leading Coaching
Teaching, Leading, Coaching (TLC) is a dedicated community of early childhood professionals committed to supporting teachers in the field. Our team brings diverse experiences and expertise, collaborating on a wide range of topics vital to the early childhood education community. Our mission is to empower educators, ensuring they feel supported and prepared to create loving, joyful, and intentional learning experiences for the children and families in their care.
At TLC, we specialize in providing high-quality training and professional development opportunities designed to help early childhood educators advance their careers. Our primary focus is preparing professionals for the national Child Development Associate (CDA) credential through comprehensive coursework and coaching. We offer virtual classes during evenings and weekends, making it easier for busy educators to participate. Led by subject matter experts, our Zoom-based courses feature carefully developed modules that address the real-world needs of early childhood professionals.
Whether you're beginning your journey in early childhood education or looking to enhance your skills, TLC is here to support you every step of the way.
Our Mission and Vision
Mission Statement:
Through comprehensive and supportive professional development, Teaching Leading Coaching, LLC (TLC) empowers early childhood professionals to provide equitable, inclusive, and intentional learning experiences for all young children and families. By offering a diverse range of professional learning opportunities—both in person and virtually—and individualized coaching, TLC helps educators achieve their goals and thrive in their critical roles.
Vision Statement:
Teaching Leading Coaching (TLC) envisions an early childhood landscape where every child and family is nurtured by skilled, supported, and continually learning professionals. We strive to create a brighter future by building professional capacity, fostering environments where educators feel valued, and ensuring all children can reach their fullest potential.
Empower Educators
Support Child Development
Foster Inclusive Environments
Our Team
Meet the dedicated team behind Teaching Leading Coaching, LLC.
Lillian
Lillian is the founder and leader of TLC. She has a Master’s in Psychology and has been helping early childhood professionals work toward their CDA for over 15 years. Lillian has been a Delaware Department of Education consultant, a university instructor, and a research associate.
Tricia Dallas
Tricia was a public school early childhood special education teacher for 30 years and now works in early intervention. She earned her PhD in Infant and Child Development and studied the impacts of nature-based preschool programming on children with special needs. Tricia teaches early childhood courses for Wilmington University. Her TLC duties include teaching CDA classes, hosting and teaching a variety of early childhood public trainings, and working ‘behind the scenes’ to make sure participants get credit for attending public training sessions.
Jamey Clark
Jamey spent over 20 years working for Head Start and Early Head Start. She has earned her CDA and renewed it multiple times, and brings that knowledge to her work with CDA candidates. Jamey taught art at a private school for almost 2 years. At TLC, she works to coordinate our CDA program and provides public training in music and art.
Sarah Mester
Sarah has a Master’s degree in Education, Exceptional Children & Youth. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. Sarah works as an educational liaison. She has also worked as an early intervention special educator and case manager, an instructional coach, a special education teacher, and a paraprofessional. Sarah teaches CDA classes and is one of our public training instructors.
Kristina Horton
Kristina Horton Reese has 12 years of professional human services experience; including mental and behavioral health intervention for children, child welfare, parent education, and teaching preschool. She works for the Delaware Department of Education on policy and programming for the state’s infants and toddlers’ early intervention program, as well as the statewide developmental screening initiative. Kristina also has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Masters in ECE and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. When working with TLC, Kristina teaches CDA classes and public training sessions.
Sara Smith
Sarah is a speech-language pathologist. Sarah shares information about communication during CDA classes and in our public training sessions.