NM Business Leaders to Gather in Santa Fe Nov. 4-5 With Eye On Early Childhood Investment

More than 200 New Mexico business and government leaders will meet this week at the first New Mexico Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investment. Convened by New Mexico Lt. Governor Diane Denish, the Summit is an invitation-only gathering of key New Mexico business leaders interested in improving New Mexico’s workforce and the national economy through support of proven early childhood investment policies.

The Summit will focus on building an effective statewide business coalition that will push for proven early childhood investment policies, according to a statement released by the organizers. Nationally known and respected speakers will share the latest brain development research with the business community and will report on the economics of investment in early childhood education.

The Summit, hosted by the New Mexico Early Childhood Development Partnership (NMECDP), begins with a reception Wednesday, Nov. 4th at the La Fonda Hotel and continues through Thursday, November 5th at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

"Now more than ever, business leaders recognize that investing in children is investing in our future economic success," said Katherine Freeman, the NMECDP Chair. "This Summit will give us the tools we need to create a 'business case' for early learning into an actionable plan – and ultimately greater opportunity and success for all of New Mexico’s children.”

An agenda of the Summit and full list of speakers is available at the NMECDP website.

The NMECDP is a public-private partnership that is on a mission to create the public awareness and political will for early childhood education programs in New Mexico. Funded by the Kellogg Foundation and with the endorsement and leadership of Lt. Governor Diane Denish, United Way of Santa Fe County is the fiscal sponsor and will house the NMECDP multi-year effort.