Meet the leadership behind The Alliance.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kym Shaw Day has worked in the nonprofit field for over 20 years. Raised by some amazing altruistic women, Kym continues their legacy through her commitment to serve others. Kym has a master's degree in education and the majority of her career has been spent improving and advocating for high quality education for young children in underserved communities. As a child that grew up in poverty, Kym knows first-hand how a quality education and an involved community can change the trajectory of a child’s life. 

As one of the founding members of the Early Learning Alliance, Kym has served on several committees, she has co-chaired the Racial Equity Guidance Council and has been the chair and vice chair of the Leadership team. As the acting Executive Director, “I am thrilled to continue the amazing work that ELA has done for children and families in Tarrant County and North Texas as a whole. I am honored to get to do this work with so many friends and colleagues who have dedicated their life’s work to raise awareness, improve systems and remove barriers to a better quality of life for children.”

PROJECT MANAGER

Rebecca Rueda is a passionate project manager dedicated to advancing quality early care and education in Tarrant County. In her role, she oversees ELA's committees, collaborates with partner organizations, manages social media and newsletters, and hosts special events to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood education. Rebecca's commitment is to creating equitable and inclusive collaborative opportunities for early childhood leaders and families through events and projects. Rebecca is renowned for her exceptional event planning skills, specializing in both social events and conferences. With a keen eye for detail and a flair for creativity, she orchestrates memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression on attendees.

Her strong commitment to community engagement is evident through her multiple leadership positions in Tarrant County. Rebecca actively participates in organizations such as the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas and Steer Fort Worth. Additionally, she serves on the boards for the Fort Worth Chapter of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children and the Hispanic Wellness Coalition. She is a proud alumna of Leadership Fort Worth and Leadership ISD.

A native Tejana with Mexican-American roots, Rebecca was the first in her family to earn a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. In her leisure time, she loves to travel, bake, and mentor young girls.

DATA CONSULTANT

Dr. Ware serves as data consultant for the Early Learning Alliance, supporting the data collection, management, and reporting needs of the Alliance.

She is the owner/manager of AWare Research Solutions, a consulting business focused primarily on research and evaluation related to early child development. She has over 25 years of research and evaluation experience in early childhood through post-secondary environments. She earned a Doctorate in Experimental Psychology, with a focus on child social and cognitive development, in 1993.

Dr. Ware has held leadership positions in the research, evaluation and accountability offices of Fort Worth and Austin Independent School Districts, and with the University of Texas at Dallas Education Research Center. Dr. Ware has expertise managing large scale educational research projects focusing on issues such as early childhood education, teacher effectiveness, college and career readiness, professional development, after school programs, and programs for English language learners.