Governor’s Economic Summit on Early Childhood
Thursday, November 29, 2007
10:00 AM Registration and Check-in
Noon Buffet Lunch and Introductions at Regional Community Team Tables
1:00 PM	Opening of Summit
	Master of Ceremonies Maine Humorist Gary Crocker
	Welcome by First Lady Karen Baldacci
	Governor’s Charge to Summit: The Honorable John E. Baldacci
	Keynote Speaker: Hiro Yoshikawa, Ph.D
		A developmental and community psychologist, Dr. Yoshikawa will set the stage for brain development and public policy by presenting the neuroscience and child development research that addresses the WHY and WHAT about investing in young children. He will examine what the rapidly advancing biological and social sciences do and do not say about early childhood, brain development, and the impact of state policy and intervention programs. Dr. Yoshikawa is a lead author of A Science-Based Framework for Early Childhood Policy, published by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and co-authored by the National Forum on Early Childhood Program Evaluation and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. He is Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where he conducts research on the impact of early childhood education, employment and welfare policy, and immigration on young children’s development. Among other federal and national advisory committees, Dr. Yoshikawa serves on the DHHS Committee on Head Start Research and Evaluation and the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Family and Work Policies.
2:30 PM		Questions and Answers
2:45 PM Afternoon Refreshments
3:00 PM	Working Session: What does the brain development research mean for Maine’s economy? (At Community Team Tables)

Governor’s Economic Summit on Early Childhood
Thursday, November 29, 2007
3:30 PM	Early Childhood Challenges Facing Maine
		Moderator: The Honorable Glenn Cummings, Speaker of the House of Representatives
	Panelists:
		Family and Parenting—Glenn Cummings, House Speaker
		Health--Dora Mills MD, MPH, Director, Maine CDC/DHHS
		Early Care and Education—Dianne Stetson, Senior Policy Analyst, Zero to Three
		Local Community Crime Prevention—Sheriff Mark Westrum, Sagadahoc County
		State Economic Development—Laurie LaChance, President and CEO, Maine Development Foundation
4:45 PM	Working Session: In what way(s) does the data support investing in early childhood to improve Maine’s economy? (At Community Team Tables)
6:00 PM		Reception and Informational Displays
7:00 PM Youth Performance and Dinner
7:15 PM	Welcome and Introduction: Brenda Harvey, Commissioner, Maine Department of Health and Human Services
7:30 PM	Dinner Speaker: George Kaiser
		George Kaiser will discuss early childhood education as both a moral imperative and a sound business investment. A self-made American billionaire, Mr. Kaiser is principal owner of Kaiser-Francis Oil Company, an independent natural gas and oil exploration firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is also the owner or significant shareholder of a number of other companies in the energy, healthcare, mining, technology, venture capital and commercial banking businesses, including BOK Financial Corporation, which has subsidiary banks in ten states. His family foundation is committed to early intervention in the cycle of poverty, various public health initiatives and civic enhancement. Mr. Kaiser helped launch “Educare” in Oklahoma and has given or raised more than $50 million in private and public funding for the program during the past three years. Educare is a "best practices" educational and family support program for at risk children from birth to five.

Governor’s Economic Summit on Early Childhood
Friday, November 30, 2007
7:30 AM Breakfast Buffet
8:30 AM		Maine at Its Best—Innovative Early Childhood Investments
			Moderator: Susan Gendron, Commissioner, Maine Department of Education
	Panelists:
			Business—William Braun, Superintendent, SAD#48 and Irving Tanning Company, Hartland
			Faith Community—Dottie Farrar, St. Francis Church Fund Board, Blue Hill Peninsula
			Labor/Workforce—Jane Gilbert, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Labor, Augusta
			Municipal/School—Peter Caron, Director, MSAD#27, Adult and Community Education, Fort Kent
			Media—Donna Gormley, Former Anchor, WLBZ News
			Legislature--Rep. Sean Faircloth, Chair, Commission to Develop a Strategic Priorities Plan for Maine’s Young Children, Bangor
10:00 AM Morning Refreshments
10:15 AM		Welcome by Steve Rowe, Attorney General
	Keynote Speaker: Robbin Johnson
			Robbin Johnson was instrumental in the development of the early learning initiative in Minnesota. He will review the economic, environmental, and ethical reasons why Minnesota businesses care about and invest in early childhood development. He will describe the process Minnesota went through in establishing the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation, its five-year work plan, $30 million fundraising goal, and its emphasis on developing cost effective strategies for delivering quality early learning experiences to at risk children. Mr. Johnson is President of the Board of Directors for the Cargill Foundation, retiring in January 2007 as Senior Vice President for corporate affairs for Cargill (an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services with 158,000 employees in 66 countries.) Mr. Johnson graduated from Yale University, undertook graduate study as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, and attended Yale Law School.
10:45 AM			Questions and Answers

Governor’s Economic Summit on Early Childhood
Friday, November 30, 2007
11:00 AM Morning Refreshments
11:15 AM	Working Session: Action Planning for Policy Change in Maine (Breakout to Rooms by Community Teams)
1:00 PM Luncheon
1:30 PM	“From Advocacy to Activism, Are You Convinced?”
		Closing of Summit and Report from Community Teams
		First Lady Karen Baldacci, Task Force on Early Childhood
		Sheryl Peavey, Director, Early Childhood Initiative
		Dana Connors, President, Maine Chamber of Commerce
2:00 PM		Summit Ends