Tammy Arens-Beauchamp, MSW/LSW is the Infant/Toddler Specialist and the Social/Emotional Specialist for Early Childhood Connections. 

As the Infant/Toddler Specialist Tammy is responsible for the SD Infant/Toddler Initiative. This includes: coordinating the regional training schedule of Infant and Toddler training activities; coordinating the implementation of the Infant/Toddler incentive grant application process; providing technical assistance to programs and providers who serve infants and toddlers.

As the Social/Emotional Specialist for Early Childhood Connections, Tammy is responsible for providing training and technical assistance on children’s social/emotional issues.  Tammy is responsible for providing consultation and observation to programs/providers who are struggling with behavioral issues in children in their care.

Tammy has a Masters Degree in Social Work from Walla Walla College.  She has an emphasis in infant/toddler mental health and early childhood social/emotional development. For the last 12 years before coming to Early Childhood Connections Tammy provided mental health counseling and consultation for young children and their families.

Kim Booth is the Professional Development Coordinator for Early Childhood Connections.  Her main responsibilities are coordinating the SDCDA program for Region 1 as well as the Introduction to Child Care and Enrichment classes.

Kim has worked in the early childhood field in a variety of settings for over 20 years and at Early Childhood Connections for the past 10 years.  Kim has an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Central Arizona College.  She is a certified West Ed Trainer in all four PITC modules.  Her main passion is literacy in the early years and supporting young children to develop social skills that help them work and play cooperatively and productively with other children and adults.

To send Kim an email, click here.

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Kathy joined the staff of Early Childhood Connections in 2001 as an Administrative Assistant.   Her diverse areas of expertise now include being a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician/Instructor, CPR/First Aid instructor, Playground Safety Inspector, website manager, and in-house computer training.

To send Kathy an email, click here.

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Debbie Hilt serves as a Resource Specialist for ECC.  She is responsible for child care referral parent inquires, and the ECC Play and Learn Theme Tub Library.  Debbie delivers and cleans toy tubs for this member only service.  Debbie manages the Reach Out and Read program, delivering books to participating physician offices for children between the ages of six months and five years.  Debbie also handles the ordering of supplies, brochures and general front office duties for Early Childhood Connections.  Chances are when you call ECC and hear a friendly voice on the other end – it’s Debbie!

To send an email to Debbie, click here.

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Candy Kalil is the Regional Out of School Time (OST) Training Specialist.  She is responsible for providing technical assistance, training, and on-site consultations to after school programs in 25 counties in western South Dakota. 

Candy graduated from North Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree with majors in Psychology and Child Development/Family Relations and a minor in Business.

She worked as a family childcare provider, childcare center director/owner and school age program director/operator in North Dakota for over 10 years.  Besides OST training, she is a validated trainer for CPR and First Aid, Infant/Toddler Care, Common Sense Parenting, Responsive Parenting, Child Care Plus+, CDA, and Child Passenger Safety.

To send Candy an email, click here.

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Deb Kuehn, RN/CNP, MSN is the Child Care Health Consultant for Early Childhood Connections.  She is responsible for providing education on health topics to child care providers as well as consultation by phone and site visits if necessary. Deb also coordinates the Region 1 Child Care Health Consultants who were trained and are available to do site visits and educational sessions as well.  As a part-time employee, Deb is in the office approximately one day per week but may also be reached by email or by leaving a message on her office phone.

Deb is a master's prepared family practice and neonatal nurse practitioner who has spent 27 years working with newborns and children.  During her undergraduate studies she took some classes in child development. Her Bachelor of Arts degrees are in nursing and psychology.

During the last 15 years in Rapid City, Deb has provided many health related classes for daycare providers with topics ranging from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to Common Infectious Diseases seen in the community and daycares.  She has also been actively involved in the education of student nurses and family nurse practitioner students in Rapid City.

To send an email to Deb, click here.

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To send an email to Jennifer, click here.

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Bill Schuler has lived in the Rapid City area since 1989 and graduated from National American University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems. Before coming to Early Childhood Connections, Bill served as a Computer Support Specialist for Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights Coalition, an intertribal non-profit corporation whose mission is to protect and preserve tribal reserved water rights to the Missouri River.

To send an email to Bill, click here.

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Jan returned to Early Childhood Connections in August 2008, as the Infant/Toddler Coordinator.  She is responsible for coordinating infant/toddler training to child care and early educators as well as the Bright Start Responsive Parenting series to parents.  She was recognized for 10 years of dedication and commitment to the South Dakota Infant/Toddler Training Initiative in June 2008.

To send an email to Jan, click here.

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