About Us
Our Mission: Build a comprehensive, sustainable system of local services that ensures all Chaffee County children have the supports they need to start school ready to learn.
CCECC is one of 34 Early Childhood Councils in Colorado that work in partnership to ensure the youngest children are ready for school and families have the support they need to work and succeed.
Founded in 2007, CCECC facilitates broad collaboration across the communities of Chaffee County to identify and address local needs related to early childhood.
CCECC’s efforts have resulted in the implementation of sustainable, cost-effective solutions that bring evidence-based services to families in our small communities.
Building and Sustaining a Strong Early Childhood System in Chaffee County
Families with young children often need support from an array of distinct systems to thrive. These include physical health, mental health and child care, among others.
CCECC serves as the coordinating council for the development of a comprehensive system of early childhood services that meet the needs of young children and families in Chaffee.
The work of CCECC and other Early Childhood Councils “connects the dots” between various agencies and implementers, creating efficiencies that ensure taxpayer dollars are maximized and local services are aligned to families’ needs.
Learn about the impact we’re making in Chaffee County
Meet the Team
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Sarah Romack
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sarah Romack lives in Buena Vista with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. She moved to Buena Vista with her family at the age of 15. Sarah attended Buena Vista Highschool and is a graduate of Chaffee County Highschool. Her love for the field of early childhood education began as she helped a close friend run her “family, friend, and neighbor” home childcare and then decided to pursue an associate's degree in early childhood education at Colorado Mountain College.
In her 19 year career of serving children and families in Chaffee County, Sarah has taught in a preschool classroom, worked for the Department of Human Services, managed a home visiting program, and has been a member of the Chaffee County Early Council. Sarah has a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University and belongs to the 14th Cohort of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program.
As Council Director, Sarah hopes to bring her passion for the field of early childhood education as well as her commitment to supporting the children and families of Chaffee County, ensuring they receive the highest quality services possible.
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Hannah Strange
PROJECT MANAGER
Hannah Strange is the Project Manager at CCECC, where she oversees community programs and assists in strategic development. After obtaining her undergraduate degree in International Studies from the University of Denver, Hannah joined the non-profit field as a refugee caseworker in Kansas City.
With over ten years of experience in non-profit development, operations and casework, Hannah brings a deep commitment to building stronger, healthier futures for families through consistent access to resources. Having recently moved to Chaffee County with her two preschool-aged sons, Hannah understands the challenges young families face when it comes to finding and keeping quality childcare. In her role as Project Manager, Hannah aims to utilize her experience to help expand the Chaffee County Early Childhood Council’s capacity and attain strategic goals.
Outside of the office, you can find her at the river, fishing with her two sons, chasing after them on the trails, or on the learning hill practicing their on-snow skills.
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Becky Merklein
CHILDCARE RESOURCE NAVIGATOR
Becky comes to CCECC with 25 years of teaching and managing experience. She began with a 4-year career teaching English abroad at the Universidad de Guanajuato, MX. Later, she became Academic Coordinator at a language School there. Upon returning to the U.S., she continued teaching both English and Spanish in Wisconsin and Colorado. Other positions to note were her time as a project manager for a grassroots organization in Wisconsin serving new migrants to the community, where she developed connections, created awareness, and planned strategic programs to benefit the community. Before coming to CCECC, Becky worked with 3 local providers as an Early Childhood Educator. All along, Becky has continued her education, taking various courses, seminars, and workshops to refine her skills. This combination of Educator and Manager will help CCECC continue its vision, growth, and influence in Chaffee County. “My passion is helping educators work to their highest potential while creating an inclusive environment that boosts joy and learning, as well as being a support to providers as they pursue a career in Early Childhood Education.”
Ensuring Our Future Workforce
Decades of research demonstrate that a child’s readiness for kindergarten is a reliable predictor of that child’s future academic and economic success. The experiences and relationships that a child has in the first five years— the period of the most rapid and sensitive brain development — can have lifelong impacts on health and well-being.
CCECC facilitates a coordinated, efficient and high-quality local system with young children and their families at the center. The result is that Chaffee County families, no matter which end of the county they live in, have access to an array of resources that foster healthy development for children in the critical early childhood period.
Financial Information
Click to view Chaffee County Early Childhood Council’s financial statements from the past three years.
Chaffee County Early Childhood Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
As such, CCECC files a 990 financial form annually with the IRS, which are available for public review.
Help Support Our Work
Tax-deductible donations to CCECC help to ensure our community’s youngest children start school ready to learn and thrive for a lifetime.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CCECC depends on support from donors in our community. All donations go directly to support our mission to build a comprehensive sustainable system of local services that ensures all children in Chaffee County have the support they need to start school ready to learn.
Mail your tax-deductible donation to CCECC:
P.O Box 176, Salida, CO 81201
Or make a secure online donation via ColoradoGives.org