Neva Bandelow & LaWanda Wesley, MEd, EdD

Neva Bandelow is the Early Learning Program Manager who leads the Alameda County Office of Education’s (ACOE) support of high-quality early childhood education. Her position’s overarching goals are to build a curricular and instructional bridge between preschool through third grade to support the readiness levels of children entering elementary school and to serve in a leadership role for the QRIS.

She holds degrees in Early Childhood Education, Human and Community Service, and 21st Century Leadership. Neva is a fellow in the national Build Equity Leaders Action Network, serves as adjunct faculty at a local community college and presents on equity leadership at local, state and national levels.

LaWanda Wesley, MEd, EdD, recently joined Oakland Unified School District’s Early Childhood Department to support more than 200 teaching staff with QRIS, quality enhancement and professional development efforts.

She served as Alameda County’s Early Care and Education Planning Council Coordinator, Quality Improvement Program Manager. Prior to joining Alameda County in June 2015, she spent 10 years with Child Development, Inc., as the Northern California Program Resource Manager. She has a long-standing history as a collaborator on major early childhood education initiatives funded by the California Department of Education. During spring 2018 she joined Mills College as an Associate Professor teaching public policy scholars. She is dedicated to changing the lives of all children and those furthest from opportunity.