Announcement by the University of Nebraska at Kearney
KEARNEY, Neb. — University of Nebraska at Kearney faculty members Paula Thompson, Ed.D., and Philip Lai, Ph.D., have been appointed as the Cille and Ron Williams Community Chairs for Early Childhood Education.
Both chairs include concurrent appointments as Buffett Early Childhood Institute Community Chairs.
Thompson, an associate professor in teacher education, will serve as chair of the endowed position. Lai, an associate professor of communication disorders, has been named assistant chair. The five-year appointments include an annual salary stipend and support for their scholarly research and creative activities.
In their roles, Thompson and Lai will lead UNK’s efforts in early care and education—an area of critical need across Nebraska.
“Dr. Thompson and Dr. Lai bring exceptional expertise, passion and leadership to this important work. Their appointments as community chairs reflect UNK’s strong commitment to preparing educators, advancing research and strengthening early childhood systems in Nebraska,” said Mark Reid, dean of UNK’s College of Education. “The impact of their leadership will be felt by children, families and communities across the state.”
Child care is a fundamental need nationwide and in Nebraska, where unemployment is low and nearly two-thirds of children live in households where all adults work. The state needs roughly 17,500 additional child care spaces to meet demand, and 10 rural counties currently have no licensed providers.
As community chairs, Thompson and Lai will serve as liaisons to the Buffett Institute, foster outreach across the state, and increase collaboration among UNK faculty, community professionals and families focused on early childhood education from birth through age 8.
They will also serve as faculty mentors to undergraduate and graduate students and work closely with educators and service providers to strengthen early childhood systems in rural and urban settings.
Thompson’s research interests include early childhood workforce preparation and well-being, with a focus on professionals serving rural communities. She also studies family engagement, early STEM implementation, child development, family advocacy, and special education.
Lai conducts research on social development, executive function, and cognitive development in individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in preschool language disorders, typical language development, multiculturalism, neurological foundations, and autism.
The Cille and Ron Williams Community Chair supports faculty leadership in early childhood education and fosters collaboration with community and statewide partners.
“We are thrilled to partner with UNK in supporting Dr. Thompson and Dr. Lai as community chairs,” said Walter Gilliam, executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute. “Nebraska’s future depends on ensuring every child has access to quality early learning opportunities, and their work will build stronger connections among faculty, practitioners and families. This collaboration is exactly what the Community Chair initiative was designed to foster.”