Kindergarten Readiness: Why Horizontal Enrichment Outperforms Academic Pushdown

About the Presenters

Dr. Nereyda M. Hurtado is the Implementation Research and Development Manager at Collaborative Classroom. She has dedicated her career to closing the opportunity gap in early childhood education, with a focus on ensuring all children, particularly those from underserved communities, gain the foundational skills they need to succeed. She began her career as a researcher at Stanford University, where she spent a decade studying language development and parenting practices with bilingual and Spanish-speaking families. Dr. Hurtado brings more than 15 years of program development, implementation, and evaluation experience across the academic and nonprofit sectors, including serving as the director of California State-funded preschool and infant/toddler programs, and extensive work as a SEEDS Coach and Trainer supporting early childhood educators and family childcare providers. As the Implementation Research and Development Manager, she leads research efforts that translate evidence into equity-centered resources for educators and program leaders. Dr. Hurtado holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is bilingual and bicultural, with native fluency in Spanish.

Emily Vener is a SEEDS Coach with Collaborative Classroom, bringing over 20 years of early childhood education experience across Minnesota and California. Her career spans dedicated time as a classroom teacher and as an instructional coach supporting fellow educators. Emily holds a degree in child and family studies, a minor in human relations from St. Cloud State University, and birth-to-third-grade teaching credentials in both states. Having experienced the SEEDS curriculum firsthand as a teacher and guided professional growth using the SEEDS Coaching Framework, she possesses a deep, practical understanding of its impact. Since earning her degree in 2004, Emily’s passion for early education has only grown. She remains committed to learning something priceless every day while empowering teachers and young learners alike.

As Director of Implementation Success at Collaborative Classroom, Dr. Lenora Forsythe leads efforts to measure and maximize the impact of instructional materials and professional learning. Backed by over two decades of educational experience, she is dedicated to advancing evidence-based practices that foster student and educator success. Dr. Forsythe’s diverse background includes a decade in elementary education as a classroom teacher and literacy coach, alongside five years as a university instructor for literacy-focused education courses. For the past eight years, she has focused on supporting schools and districts nationwide through various roles at Collaborative Classroom. She holds an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in reading from the University of Central Florida, where her research centered on professional learning for literacy coaches. Dr. Forsythe also earned an M.S. in reading education from Nova Southeastern University and a B.S. in early childhood education from UCF.