Behind every effort to support Hawai‘i’s keiki are champions leading the way. In this series, we spotlight leaders whose work is helping to strengthen the systems that care for our youngest keiki and their families. This month, we are honored to feature Natasha Perry, Kaua‘i County’s newly appointed Early Childhood Coordinator.

Q: What personal or professional experiences have most shaped your commitment to supporting young children and families in Hawai‘i?

A: My commitment to supporting young children and families in Hawai‘i has been shaped deeply by my experiences both as a parent and an early childhood educator (ECE). When I started working at Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, my older daughter was three, and I quickly realized how much I was learning as a teacher—skills and strategies I could then apply at home. When my second child was born, I noticed how much easier parenting felt because I had tools, knowledge, and confidence to support my own keiki’s growth and learning.

Through my work with Tutu and Me and later with PATCH, I gained firsthand experience navigating resources, subsidies, and educational programs, which showed me how challenging it can be for families to access quality learning opportunities. Raising my children in a Hawaiian immersion school has been an additional learning experience, reinforcing the importance of culturally grounded education and the value of supporting families in ways that honor Hawai‘i’s indigenous language and unique communities.

These experiences have encouraged me to support other families so that all keiki and their ʻohana on Kaua‘i can have the same ease in navigating resources, accessing educational opportunities, and feeling supported in raising their children.

Q: From your perspective, what does a strong, resilient early childhood system look like? What’s at stake if we fail to strengthen it — particularly at the county level?

A: believe a strong early childhood system is one where:

• Families can easily access services without getting overwhelmed by a maze of agencies or eligibility requirements. This includes choices of childcare, subsidies for infant-toddler centers, family child cares and preschools, stable health services, and easy pathways for early intervention. Every family receives a straightforward guide for early childhood education services and child development milestones after delivery of their baby.

• There is sufficient coordination, responsibly shared data, and working relationships between the health services, education services, and social services so families don’t fall through the cracks.

• Early childhood educators and social workers are well-paid and supported with opportunities for professional development so they can remain in the field for many years.

• Every early childhood education program is high quality and culturally grounded.

If we don’t strengthen our systems, our children will be more likely to miss critical developmental windows, which can lead to long-term academic and social challenges. Also, parents may have to leave the workforce due to a lack or unaffordability of quality and reliable childcare (especially childcare for infants). Children might be deprived of educational opportunities because parents couldn’t navigate the system. Talented teachers will be leaving the county because they are not adequately compensated and cannot support their families which in turn will intensify early childhood education workforce shortages which are already present.

Q: Is there a project, program, or initiative you have been involved in —in the past — that you feel represents meaningful progress for young keiki and families? What was its focus, and what impact did it have?

A: Raising my children in Hawaiian immersion education has been one of the most meaningful experiences for our family and community. My daughters attended ʻAha Pūnana Leo’s preschool at Pūnana Leo o Kauaʻi and later continued their learning at Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School. These programs focus on revitalizing the Hawaiian language while grounding students in ʻike Hawaiʻi—Hawaiian knowledge, values, and ways of understanding the world.

For our family, the impact has been deeply personal. My children grew up speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, learning their history, and understanding their connection to the land, culture, and community. Instead of seeing culture as something separate from school, it was woven into everything they learned—from daily conversations to stories, songs, environmental stewardship, and cultural practices.

Schools like Pūnana Leo o Kauaʻi and Kawaikini NCPCS also bring families together. Parents, kūpuna, teachers, and community members all play a role in supporting the students and the language. It creates a learning environment that extends beyond the classroom and reinforces the idea that education is a shared responsibility rooted in community.

Programs like these demonstrate that culturally grounded education can be incredibly powerful. When children see their language, culture, and values reflected in their learning, it resonates with them in a meaningful way. It not only supports academic growth but also nurtures strong cultural identity, leadership, and a commitment to caring for their community and ʻāina.

Q: In your new role as Kaua‘i County’s Early Childhood Coordinator, what priorities or opportunities are top of mind for you?

A: In my new role as Kauaʻi County’s Early Childhood Coordinator my top priorities are:

• Support availability of affordable quality childcare on Kaua‘i including infant-toddler centers, family child cares and preschools.

• Support early childhood teachers (including family child cares) through fair compensation, professional development, cultural learning and stronger workforce pathways.

• Build collaboration across the early childhood community, including supporting initiatives and groups such as Kaua‘i Early Learning Hui, activities like Kauaʻi Early Childhood Education Conference, and community events and fairs bringing educators, families, and partners together to share knowledge and resources.

• Open our new Pi‘ikoi Youth Center on Kaua‘i complete with an infant-toddler center, after-school fitness and tutoring programs, K-PAL-sponsored activities, as well as cultural programs.

• Build stronger coordination between early childhood providers, schools, health services, and family support programs.

Q: Where do you see the greatest opportunity to strengthen systems that serve Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki and their caregivers? 

A: One of the greatest opportunities to strengthen the systems that serve Hawaiʻi’s youngest keiki is by more intentionally supporting the caregivers and teachers who nurture them every day. Early childhood educators and caregivers are the foundation of a child’s development, yet they are often under-resourced, underpaid, and stretched thin. If we truly want better outcomes for our keiki, we must invest in the people who are guiding them through those earliest and most important years. Establishing Early Learning Apprenticeship Program will be a great step towards strengthening the systems that serve Hawai’i’s youngest keiki.