Sean Noble, an active and pioneer member of Raising Illinois, has long been committed to contributing to collaborative efforts that support our youngest learners, their families and the early education workforce. Currently, Sean coordinates the Illinois efforts of three membership organizations of civic leaders, under the nonprofit umbrella of Council for a Strong America. Each group is informed by research and experience regarding the wide-ranging benefits of investing wisely in the optimal development of children from their earliest years: 

• Fight Crime: Invest in Kids — Police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors, with a goal of curbing crime and violence
• ReadyNation — Business executives, aiming to bolster supports for today’s workforce and build skills for the workforce of tomorrow 
• Mission: Readiness — Retired military leaders, concerned with protecting our nation’s security and the opportunities available to our youth 

Strengthening prenatal-to-age 3 priorities — from home visiting programs to child care services and beyond — is critical to helping lay a solid foundation for children’s growth and success. The 600 Illinois participants in ReadyNation, Fight Crime and Mission: Readiness efforts are proud to play a substantial role in this work, focusing greater attention on the value of such policy aims as those represented in the Raising Illinois agenda. Families’ many unmet and well-documented needs, combined with growing awareness of the strains on our state’s early childhood system, underscore the significance of this work.

Prior to his two decades of work in early childhood policy and advocacy, Sean was a daily newspaper reporter in several areas of Illinois. It was while covering the education beat that he became convinced of the importance of early care and education efforts, given a growing wealth of research on the matter. We are grateful for Sean’s strong and demonstrated commitment to Illinois’ families.