FORT MYERS, Fla. - TelAve -- Child Care of Southwest Florida Inc. (CCSWFL) has hired Michele Dence, an early childhood educator with more than 25 years of experience, as center director of the Ray V. Pottorf Early Learning Center in south Fort Myers.

Located inside Ray V. Pottorf Elementary School, the center is one of five state-of-the-art early learning centers embedded in local public schools through a collaborative community partnership between CCSWFL, the School District of Lee County and the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida. CCSWFL also operates five freestanding centers across Lee and Hendry counties.

In her new role, Dence will lead the center's operations and work closely with Tammy Aronson, director of child care operations, and Kimberly Molloy, assistant director of child care operations, as part of the leadership team supporting CCSWFL's early learning centers.

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Dence began her career in child care in 1999 and first became a center director in 2001, where she oversaw daily operations, staff supervision and mentoring, classroom staffing, enrollment, family relations, professional development, hiring and onboarding, and regulatory and community partnerships.

Dence also brings extensive experience with The School District of Lee County, where she served as an education coordinator, curriculum specialist and teacher on assignment. In those roles, she worked with teachers, educational coaches, families and other professionals, and helped oversee educational quality and professional development across early childhood classrooms and sites throughout Lee County.

"Our center directors have an enormous responsibility," said Chris Hansen, CEO of Child Care of Southwest Florida. "They are responsible not only for operating a center, but for leading people, developing teachers, supporting families, protecting children, maintaining high standards and creating an environment where children can learn and thrive. Michele's background makes her exceptionally well suited for that responsibility at the Ray V. Pottorf Early Learning Center."

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A native of upstate New York, Dence holds a master's degree in educational leadership from American College of Education, which she earned in 2020, and a bachelor's degree in social work from Siena College. Her professional credentials include Advanced Director, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Director and Trauma-Endorsed Director credentials from the Florida Department of Children and Families. She also holds Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) observer certifications for infant, toddler and pre-K classrooms.

"As CCSWFL approaches 60 years of serving children and families, attracting experienced, talented leaders is critical to both the quality of our programs today and the future of our organization," Hansen said.