Meet the Training Team!
LORI BUXTON
Lori has been part of the early care and education community since 1995. She has served on many levels, including classroom teacher, Program Director, Executive Administrator, and Training Consultant. Lori is a dynamic speaker who encourages and inspires; challenges and equips; and whose heart is deeply committed to supporting those who serve young children and their families. Lori is the Managing Director of the Association for Early Learning Leaders and speaks/trains regionally and nationally. She has served on many ECE advisory committees including the Sesame Street Communities PD Virtual Advisory and has been a featured speaker on HiMama’s Preschool Podcast.
BRITTNEY LUTHER
Brittney Luther has been involved in early care and education off and on since 1997, growing up in the industry where her family owned 2 centers it was impossible to not be involved. She is a multisite owner of Young Sprouts Creative Learning Center’s in Texas, is a child care trainer and mentor, the owner of Brittney Luther Consulting and Virtual Vanguard. Brittney holds a BS degree in Business Administration and an MBA from Western Governors University. Brittney is an active member of the Association for Early Learning Leaders and currently serves as the Treasurer to the AELL Board of Directors.
HEATHER TORRES
Heather Torres took over an established learning center in San Antonio, Texas and made the Center a fun and family first environment that is just as nurturing for her staff as it is for her students. She considers all the relationships she has gained as a director and influencer as her greatest accomplishment. However, the other notable accomplishments of her career include; successfully writing and receiving grants to grow her staff and vison for her center, creating a lit and legit school age summer program, creating a core program that allows her staff to grow into the best early childhood educators in South Texas, spearheading an outreach program that serves families during the holiday season, a member of NAEYC, and last but never least becoming an AELL Ambassador, presenter, and
board member. Heather has spoken on many stages across the country including NAEYC, AELL, TLCCA and KCCC presenting her unique point of view on the early childhood education industry. Her greatest passion is relating to all generations, whether they see Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller or Simba, with the intent to cultivate a work environment that stimulates creativity and emotional intelligence. While the environment Heather has created for her staff is fun loving, the expectations of excellence are evident in the smiling faces of our students and the sometimes satisfied customers (the parents). The greatest passion of her work life is to explorer leadership concepts and methods with the intent to develop greatness within the next generation of early childhood educators and directors.
TYM SMITH
Tym Smith began working in the Early Childhood Development field in 1986. After spending more than five years in the classroom, he advanced to fill various positions including Education Specialist, Director, and Regional Director. Over the past 15 years, Tym has spent thousands of hours training staff and management across the country at local and national conferences. In 2007, Tym started “Tym the Trainer”, a training company dedicated to quality and diversity for child-care programs. Tym is the owner of six early education programs in Texas and is a two-term past president of the Texas Licensed Child Care Association. Tym is a member of the Texas Trainers Registry and currently serves on the board of directors for the Association for Early Learning Leaders. Tym is also a Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor.
