Park County Early Childhood Coalition
The PCECC was founded in 2010 and is operated primarily by a collective contribution of non-profit partners. The coalition has been run by many organizations over the years and now has a home at Community Health Partners/One Health. CHP and the coalition have a long-standing history of supporting young children and their families in Park County. It is our mission that EVERY child in Park County starts on a pathway of positive possibilities.
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Goals:
1.) Stabilize Infrastructure
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2.) Boost Family Knowledge and engagement through a web of support
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3.) Promote the importance of early childhood throughout Park County
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4.) Align and Amplify efforts of the early childhood community
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​​​​​​Meetings are held the second Monday of the month at 3:30-5pm. If you or your organization would like to participate in the coalition, attend the meetings and receive email updates, please reach out to our Coordinator, Mandy Johnstone at amanda.johnstone@onechc.org.
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Coalition Members
Mandy Johnstone
Mandy took over the role of Park County Early Childhood Coalition Coordinator in August of 2025. She came to us with over 18 years of diverse teaching experiences serving as an elementary teacher, K-12 library media specialist, high needs paraprofessional, preschool owner, volunteer community playgroup director, daycare worker, nanny, summer program director, camp counselor, and Kindermusik instructor. Her most cherished role is as a very proud mother of two wildly creative teenagers. In her newest role here at PCECC, Mandy is responsible for leading fun, educational, and community building events for young families in Park County. You may have seen her leading weekly playgroups, parenting classes, or post-partum support groups. Behind the scenes, Mandy works to connect, support, and align the organizations serving families with young children in Park County while keeping the PCECC connected with state-wide MT Early Childhood Coalition work.
"Strong, healthy communities begin with supporting our youngest members and their families. My work with PCECC gives me the opportunity to connect directly with parents, caregivers, and community partners to build a strong network of support that uplifts families and helps every child thrive. I find joy in the laughter and spontaneity that come with getting a little silly alongside kids, while also finding deep fulfillment in serving as a steady resource and source of encouragement for parents navigating this challenging yet magical stage of life."
Hannah Wologo
Hannah Wologo serves as the Community Health Coordinator for Livingston HealthCare, where she leads community health initiatives, manages the school-based Clinic, and supports collective impact efforts through LiveWell49. Her work centers on fostering belonging, improving access to care, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration across Park County.
"Being part of the PCECC connects me with others who care deeply about supporting families and young children in our community. I value the shared learning, collaboration, and collective heart that this group brings to improving early childhood outcomes."
Abby Lawson
Abby Lawson is the grants management and administrative associate at the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in Montana. In this role, she leads administrative functions for the Montana foundation leadership team and facilitates efficient grant-making both internally and externally. Originally from Atlanta, Abigail graduated from Ole Miss in 2018. After graduation, she visited Montana for the first time to work at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, which is how she initially became involved with the foundation. She now works in Montana and finds supporting the two communities she loves the most is very special.
"As part of my role with AMBFF, I strive to stay informed about the issues impacting our community, and this group plays a vital role in that effort. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by individuals who are committed to addressing the complex challenges and exploring thoughtful solutions in early childhood development. The collaboration and shared knowledge within PCECC enrich both my professional work and personal understanding of our community’s needs."
John Gregory
John joined the Park County Early Childhood Coalition in 2016 shortly after he became the Director for Parent Support Programs at Community Health Partners. John worked with the Park County Community Foundation, the City of Livingston and the Livingston School District during their respective periods leading the ECC. He's excited for One Health (formerly Community Health Partners) to lead the coalition for the coming years.
"Through my work, I have had the great good fortune to get to learn how incredibly important our early childhoods are. The quality of the parent-child relationship has a profound impact on a child's lifelong heath and development. And it's often an overlooked and unsupported time. I am so grateful to play a role in supporting families with young children in all of our Park County communities."
Anna Elam
Anna Elam is a Technical Assistance Specialist with SPARK Montana Learning Lab. She supports licensed childcare providers in Park and Gallatin Counties with free resources, consultation and coaching to help improve program quality and best outcomes for Montana families. She holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Montana and has over 10 years of experience as a childcare provider.
"Being a member of the Park County Early Childhood Coalition is meaningful to me because I care deeply about the well-being of young children and families in our community—not only as an early childhood professional, but as a mom of two young kids. I understand the real-life challenges parents face when trying to access needed support for their family, as well as the demands placed on the professionals in the ecosystem who are doing incredibly important work, often with limited resources. This coalition gives me the opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about making lasting, positive change in early childhood, and to be part of a collaborative effort to uplift and improve the lives of all Park County families."
Erin Mason
Erin Mason is the Early Childhood Programs Supervisor and a Parents as Teachers home visitor at One Health (formerly Community Health Partners). In her role, she supports staff involved with One Health’s early childhood programs who provide guidance, resources, and developmental information to families and early childhood providers across Park County, while delivering the same guidance and support to families as a home visitor herself. Erin’s journey with the Parents as Teachers program began as a parent participant in 2015, where she found immense value in the coaching, support, and knowledge she received during her child’s early years. That experience inspired her to join the team as a home visitor and now, as a supervisor, she finds deep fulfillment in giving back to the same program that once supported her family.
Erin is passionate about building strong relationships, empowering families, and helping every child get the best possible start in life.
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"Being part of the Park County Early Childhood Coalition is important to me because it brings together community resources, providers, and the families who benefit from them. It’s meaningful to see such an organized effort to ensure that those who serve our youngest community members are also supported in their work. For me, it’s about helping create the kind of connected, supportive community many of us wished we had when our children were younger."
Tori Sproles
Tori Sproles is the Director of Early Learning at Greater Gallatin United Way. With over a decade of dedicated experience advocating for accessible, high-quality child care, Tori has passionately supported families and worked to ensure that children have the best possible start in life. Her unwavering commitment to mobilizing community partnerships and advancing equitable child care solutions drives her excitement to participate in the Park County Early Childhood Coalition. Tori is deeply motivated by the belief that every family deserves access to the resources and care they need to thrive, and she looks forward to making a lasting impact in the community.
Andrea Sicignano
For over a decade, Andrea has been an influential leader in outdoor education, guiding children of all ages along trails and through wild spaces across the United States and abroad. After earning her Master’s in Education, she completed her Level 3 Forest School Training in Oxford, England—deepening her expertise in child-led, nature-based learning. In 2022, recognizing the need for more Forest School opportunities in the U.S., Andrea first brought her vision to life in Colorado before relocating to Montana to launch Livingston’s very first Forest School for 3–5 year olds. Through Guided Wild, she continues to share her passion for fostering creativity, resilience, and joy in the outdoors—rooted in confidence, connection and the magic of nature. Andrea is deeply committed to the nature-based, child-led philosophy of Forest School, trusting that children learn best when given the freedom to explore, take risks, and follow their own curiosity in the natural world. In addition to the year-round Forest preschool for 3-5 year olds, Guided Wild also offers seasonal Friday programming for 5-10 year olds as well as a Summer Camp for 3-10 year olds.
"The Park County Early Childhood Coalition has been an incredible source of support for me over the past two years. As someone new to Livingston, this group offered valuable insight into the landscape of childcare in our community and across the state. I look forward to our monthly meetings—they’re a chance to connect, collaborate, and learn what others are doing in the early childhood space, while exploring ways I can help fill gaps through Guided Wild’s programming. The Coalition creates space for providers like me to share our voices, build connections, and contribute to a stronger network of early childhood support in Park County. I’ve loved getting involved with initiatives like Wiggly Wednesday for children and Circle of Security for parents. It’s truly meaningful to feel the encouragement and collaboration that come from being part of such a dedicated community."