SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Governor JB Pritzker has appointed Teresa Ramos as the first permanent secretary of the newly-established Illinois Department of Early Childhood.
“I am excited to collaborate with an outstanding team of state employees, parents, advocates, and early childhood providers to create a program that gives every child a strong, healthy start,” Ramos said in a statement.
The Illinois Department of Early Childhood was created to consolidate various state programs that currently operate under different agencies. These programs serve families with infants and toddlers and include preschool oversight, childcare centers, home visiting, and early intervention initiatives.
In 2023, Pritzker outlined his plans to form the new agency. Senate Bill 1, which authorized the creation of the department, passed the Senate unanimously in April and gained bipartisan support in the House in May. Governor Pritzker signed the bill into law in June, with the department expected to be fully operational by July 2026.
Ramos, who currently serves as first assistant deputy governor for education, will step in as acting secretary in January. She will replace Irma Martinez Snopek, who has served as acting secretary since August while the search for a permanent leader was underway. Ramos’ appointment is subject to Senate approval.
Before joining the governor’s office in 2022, Ramos was vice president of public policy, research, and advocacy at Illinois Action for Children, a nonprofit focused on early childhood education and child care. She also worked as director of community engagement at Advance Illinois, an education advocacy group.
Ramos holds a Ph.D. in anthropology, with a minor in Latina/Latino Studies, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Governor Pritzker praised Ramos’ background, saying, “Dr. Ramos has demonstrated exceptional service to the state of Illinois in both public and private sectors. Her experience in education, childcare, and community engagement makes her uniquely qualified to lead the Department of Early Childhood as it grows into full operation.”
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