Sara Brown
Sara Brown is an accomplished infant and toddler systems leader dedicated to strengthening caregiver relationships and advancing the early childhood workforce. Currently serving as Program Manager for the Infant-Toddler Network at the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC Foundation), she leads statewide efforts to connect strategy to practice and improve outcomes for young children and their families. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, Sara specializes in workforce development, cross-sector collaboration, and relationship-based leadership, creating meaningful professional learning opportunities and fostering reflective practices that elevate the quality of care across systems.
Sara’s passion for early childhood began with deeply personal roots. Growing up in a rural state, she helped raise her nephew after her teenage sister became a parent at a young age. This early experience shaped her understanding of how infants should be nurtured and supported, inspiring a lifelong commitment to advocating for high-quality care. At just 16 years old, she began working in a toddler classroom—and never left the field. Since then, she has remained a steadfast advocate for infants, toddlers, and the educators who support them, dedicating her career to ensuring their needs are recognized and prioritized.
Throughout her career, Sara has held a range of leadership roles, including Site Director, Program Director, and Education Coach, where she supported continuous improvement and program excellence. Today, she is widely recognized as a powerful voice for the infant-toddler workforce—an often underrepresented sector in early childhood education. One of her most notable achievements is elevating that voice at the statewide level, where she now leads a strong network of mentors and educators committed to advancing the field. Sara holds both a Master of Science in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and is endorsed as an Infant Family Specialist and Reflective Supervisor, underscoring her expertise and unwavering commitment to the well-being of young children and families.
• Certificate, Early Education Leadership
• Certified Newborn Care Specialist, Newborn and Maternal Care and Support
• Endorsed Reflective Supervisor
• Infant Family Specialist
• Infant CLASS Observer Certified
• Toddler CLASS Observer Certified
• Central Maine Community College - AAS
• University of Maine at Farmington - B.A.S, Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• University of Maine at Farmington - M.S.Ed, Specialization in Early Childhood Education
• Association for Infant Mental Health
• Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children
• The Council for Professional Recognition
• Youth and Family Outreach
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to meaningful mentors that I've had along the way, who have pushed me harder than I thought I could make it and kept with it. I'm thankful to all of them. These mentors believed in me and challenged me to go beyond what I thought were my limits, and their support has been instrumental in helping me reach where I am today.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Keep going to work as a voice for infant-toddler educators at a statewide level.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The discussion focused on Sara's professional achievements, particularly their work as a voice for infant-toddler educators at a statewide level.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Sara shared her inspiration for entering the field, which stemmed from helping raise her nephew as a young child and witnessing the importance of proper care for infants and toddlers.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me are trust, relationships, and authenticity. These three values guide everything I do, both in my professional work with infants, toddlers, and their families, and in my personal life. Building genuine connections based on trust and being authentic in all my interactions is fundamental to who I am and how I approach my work.