Staff & Board

Kylie Cooper

Executive Director

Kylie Cooper joined Rise Early Learning Center in March 2023. Kylie previously served as the Assistant Director of Education Quality for Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington (CAPRW), and the Workforce Development Coordinator for Child Care Aware of Minnesota. Kylie holds an MA Ed in Early Childhood Education and is driven to shine a light on the impact that high-quality early childhood education can have on society as a whole.

In 2018, Kylie was recognized as an “Exchange Leader” by Child Care Exchange magazine. She has served as Co-President for the Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children (MnAEYC) and has been a Master Trainer certified through the Minnesota Center for Professional Development since 2015 (MNCPD).

Board Members and Advisors

Jenelle Bullen

Westwood Board Member

I serve as the Early Learning Coordinator for the Richfield public schools. I have worked my entire adult life as an educator both in the US and in the Caribbean as a teacher, administrator or school leader.

I am drawn to serve on the Rise Early board because the mission closely aligns with my personal passions of creating quality early childhood education and working toward equity and inclusion in education.

Barry Cytron

Community Board Member

I am recently retired from Macalester College, having served on the faculty and been one of its chaplains for many years. Earlier, I was a congregation rabbi, first in Des Moines and then at Westwood’s neighbor, Adath Jeshurun Congregation. Quality early childhood education was a treasured orientation of each synagogue, reflected movingly now in Adath’s decision to be a faith partner in this critical new venture.

Ever since hearing Art Rolnick speak about his cutting-edge studies affirming the countless dividends of initiatives like Rise Early, I have wondered how best to salute his research. Joining the Board provides an opportunity to work with committed others to advance affordable high-quality child care and redress historic inequities in our community.

Patrice Howard

Community Board Member

I currently serve as the Director of Community Education for St. Louis Park Schools and have served over 20 years of cross-sector partnership experience in youth, family, and community development. As an educator, I hold a belief in the importance of affirming identity and culture in programming and have dedicated my life’s work to inclusive practices and collaborative leadership.

I am excited to serve on the board of Rise Early because of its holistic approach of early childhood development and its intentionality around community building. I look forward to promoting access and opportunity of early learning education through engagement and collaborative practice for all!

Jason Van Hunnik

Westwood Board Member and Secretary

I have served as a pastor at Westwood since 2004. It has been moving to see this dream of Westwood working side-by-side with members of the community to create better access to high-quality childcare for those who don’t always have the access.

I’m excited about the leadership and expertise on the board to go along with the commitment to creating a community of promise.

Jane Severson

Westwood Board Member

I consulted with clients in the healthcare and financial services industries in product and business development, strategy, and business transformation. I have been active with the Westwood Early Childcare Center as a past board chair and am a long-time resident of St Louis Park. I am currently Director of Administration for Westwood.

I am thrilled to be serving on the board of Rise Early and an organization whose mission is to build partnerships to support families in our diverse community by providing outstanding early childcare learning programs that are accessible to everyone.

Carolyn Smallwood

Community Board Member

Since 2004, I have been the CEO of Way to Grow, an early education nonprofit serving Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs. As we move forward to close Minnesota’s education gap, I believe it will take a village - strategic partnerships, collaborations, and our parents and educators throughout Minnesota to make a significant difference in our children’s lives.

To support this collaborative work, I currently serve on the Ciresi Walburn Foundation Board of Directors, the African American Leadership Forum Board of Directors, the Children’s Hospital of Minnesota Board of Directors and the Greater Twin Cities United Way Board of Directors.

I am driven for my passion for education equity, and I am thrilled to join Rise Early as we work to empower Minnesota’s next generation of leaders!

Jeff Stutzman

Westwood Board Member and Treasurer

My family has been members of Westwood for 40 years and I am a past treasurer. I am a retired CPA and business owner. I have started and run or helped run several businesses in my career and served on several non-profit boards.

I hope that my business and non-profit perspective will be a benefit to Rise Early. I was drawn to Rise Early by the overwhelming evidence of the importance of affordable high-quality child care and the need to be more than a passive observer.

Jim Vos

Westwood Board Member and Chairperson

I'm a 30+ year member of Westwood and have served in various leadership capacities both within the church and across the non-profit community. As a commercial real estate consultant, I have the privilege of working with a wide range of organizations and developing an extensive network of advisors.

The mission of Rise Early builds on my passions as a grandfather and a catalyst for change in our community.