Edward Street is a proud partner in the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship led by Strategies for Children. We are excited to introduce Sierra Rainville as our inaugural Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow.
Sierra will be with us through April 2027. We look forward to providing her with an array of hands-on opportunities to experience and develop policy from the community perspective as she begins her career in early childhood policy.
Meet Sierra Rainville, Our Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow
Sierra recently graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she earned her Ed.M. in human development and education, with a concentration in early childhood.
Previously, Sierra taught preschool, working with children, their families, and her co-teachers. In this role, she helped create emergent, Reggio-inspired curricula centered around student-led, project-based, and experiential learning tailored to children's curiosity and interests and cultivating strong, developmental relationships.
Additionally, Sierra has experience in nature-based approaches and is inspired by alternative approaches to early childhood education, which focus on relationships and play.
She is passionate about the need for systems-level change to make early childhood education and care experiences more equitable, accessible, and fulfilling for children, educators, and families.
Sierra Is Ready to Make the Most of the Fellowship
We recently asked Sierra about her decision to apply for the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship, her work to date in the program, and what she expects out of the program moving forward. Read Sierra's responses as she steps into the role.
Why did you choose to apply for and join the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship program?
When the opportunity to apply for the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship came across my desk, I was excited, but after connecting with the team at Edward Street, I was all-in.
The way they blend practice, policy, and research was exactly what I was looking to do in my work, and the team’s energy and dedication was obvious and inspiring.
I worked as an early childhood educator before pursuing my Ed.M. (Master of Education degree) and knew that I was interested in working on policy but wanted to keep lived experience and human development at the center.
When I interviewed, the way the team received my classroom experience made it clear how much they valued those in the field, and I knew it would be an organization where I could do work that looks to and lifts up the experiences and wisdom of those who care for children every day.
What has excited you about the program thus far?
In terms of the program overall, I am excited to be working alongside other fellows at East Boston Social Centers, Strategies for Children, and the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, and with the support of our coordinator, Ann Kauffman.
It will be wonderful to have peers to learn from and collaborate with as we all step into a career in early childhood policy. Having a group of peers doing different types of work across the early childhood policy space will allow us to have rich conversations that push our learning beyond what we would encounter alone at our respective organizations.
In my role at Edward Street, I’m excited about the huge set of projects that I will have the opportunity to work on, all offering opportunities to grow as a professional and make a positive impact.
What projects are you working on or will be working on in the program, and what are you hoping to achieve with these projects?
It’s still early, but I’m getting acquainted with a variety of projects and starting to figure out where to dive in first. Edward Street is working on an exciting project to address early childhood deserts in Worcester, and I’ve already had the chance to contribute to this work. It’s still in the early stages, but hopefully we can share more soon.
Overall, I’m hoping to help children, families, and educators in Worcester (and beyond) thrive! This goal has stayed consistent throughout my career, and I’m excited to realize this goal in new ways through this role.
I also hope this experience and everything I learn from it can be a launchpad to future work and help me to find my path in the early childhood policy space.
What are you looking forward to in the program?
I am grateful for the opportunity to grow as a professional in the policy space, with support and leadership from Kim [Davenport, CEO of Edward Street], as well as those at Strategies for Children.
I look forward to getting deep into project work and seeing my efforts turn into real impact.
I’m looking forward to learning more about the City of Worcester and all the incredible people here who are working hard to support children, families, and educators.
Learn More About the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship
The Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship provides a small cohort of recent higher education graduates with valuable, real-world experience and pathways to leadership by placing them in policy settings where they can work on key issues facing Massachusetts.
It is possible thanks to the generous support from the Commonwealth Children’s Fund, whose mission is to invest in systems change to create a lasting impact for children from birth to age 5 across Massachusetts.
"We are grateful to the Commonwealth Children's Fund for their support and to our deepening partnership with Strategies for Children," says Kim Davenport, CEO of Edward Street. "This visionary collaboration and investment will usher in tomorrow's policy leaders."
There are five inaugural Policy Pathways Fellows who have been placed at three early childhood organizations—Edward Street, East Boston Social Centers, and Strategies for Children—as well as at the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).
For more information about the Policy Pathways Fellowship, please email Ann Kauffman, Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship Coordinator, at akauffman@strategiesforchildren.org or Diagneris "Nery" Garcia, Director of Communications, at dgarcia@strategiesforchildren.org.
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