North Carolina Head Start Association
Male Engagement Conference 2026
October 21–23, 2026 · Hickory Metro Convention Center
Three days for Head Start professionals, fathers, and male caregivers to learn, connect, and strengthen their impact on children’s lives.
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
When
Oct 21–23, 2026
Where
Hickory Metro Convention Center
Program
34 sessions · 28 presenters
Registration
Open now — register below
Every child benefits from an engaged father figure
Join us for this year’s North Carolina Head Start Association Male Engagement Conference, where Head Start professionals, fathers, and male caregivers come together to learn, connect, and strengthen their impact on children’s lives.
Gain practical insights from knowledgeable speakers, explore best practices for meaningful male engagement, and build connections with others committed to strengthening families. Whether you support families professionally or guide a child as a father or father figure, this conference recognizes your vital role in early childhood development.
Make plans to attend and help build stronger partnerships, stronger families, and brighter futures for children!
Who should attend
- Head Start and Early Head Start staff and leaders
- Fathers, grandfathers, and father figures
- Male caregivers and mentors
- Family engagement and community partners
Welcome Reception Theme
2026 Presenters
Joy Abernathy
Founder & CEO
Joyful Strategies LLC
Sessions: Quality Every Day: Maintaining Safe, Engaging, and Compliant EHS/HS Environments
Designing your own TIE! | Wellness by Design
Andre’ C. Barnes, Sr.
Founder & CEO
Interpersonal Core Consulting LLC
Sessions: “Crippled, But I’ve Got A Right To Be Here!” Insight Into the Crisis of the Current Culture
“There’s a Leader In Me!” Releasing the Leader From Within
Christopher Barnes
Founder & CEO
Barnes & Associates Consulting, LLC
Sessions: Keynote Address
Succession Planning for Head Start Leaders
Dianne Binda
Dicabi Solutions
Session: The Head Start Journey: From Enrollment to Family Success
Nicole Boone
B-3 Policy Advisor/PDG Project Coordinator
NC Department of Health and Human Services - Division of Child Development and Early Education
Session: Adult Mental Health First Aid Primer: Centering Male Mental Health
Deric Boston
Senior Lecturer
North Carolina State University
Sessions: Let’s Play! The Science & Practice of Father and Male-Caregiver Play
Effective Boundary Setting for Building Strong Children
At the Table: Culturally Responsive Communication Between Fathers, Male Caregivers & Schools
Reggie Clark
Director Human Resources | Chief of Staff
Families & Communities Rising, Inc.
Session: Keep Great People: Leading with EQ Through Staffing Challenges
Ketica Cleveland
Regulatory Specialist
Division of Child Development and Early Education
Session: Family and Community Partnerships with a Focus on QRIS Family and Community Engagement
Rev. Dr. Rodney Coles, Sr.
President
National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Pitt Co.
Panel Discussion | Moderator: “Processing & Navigating This World”
Marcus Crank
Community Activist/Youth Mentor
Cleveland County Reach
Session: R.E.A.L. (Rebuilding Every Active Legacy)
Winona Fabre
Lead Consultant
Children’s Village Consulting
Session: The Co-Parenting Playbook: Tactical Strategies for Exes to Raise Happy, Healthy Children
Drake Fussell
Family Engagement Specialist
Families & Communities Rising Inc.
Session: Beyond the Courtroom: A Father’s Journey from Conflict to Growth
Jamon Glover
Father Figure Institute
Session: The First 7: The Father’s Blueprint for Building Children Who Thrive
Keshona Hargrove
Early Childhood Education Specialist
GROW Early Learning (formerly ECMHSP)
Session: Get Ready; Here I Come
Anthony Harrison
Director/Operations Manager
Dixon Academy of Charlotte
Session: Breaking Barriers: The Importance of Male Engagement in Early Childhood Education
George Hicks
Certified Triple P Practitioner
SHARE Head Start
Session: The Dad Effect: How Positive Parenting Changes Lives
Donald Hurst
CEO
Pathways to Purpose Fathers and Family Services
Session: Fatherhood is a Journey, Not a Destination
Charrisse Johnson
Founder & CEO
CSJ Consulting Alliance
Panel Discussion | Panelist: “Processing & Navigating This World”
Shawn Jones
Jones Strength & Performance
Session: Inside Out
Jared Keaton
Chief Executive Officer
Alliance Center for Education
Session: Long Term Planning for Nonprofits: An Alliance Between the Board, the Executive, and the Community
Shonette Lewis, Ed.S.
Consultant
Northwest and Piedmont-Triad Office of Early Learning | NC Department of Public Instruction
Session: The Finch Literacy Screener, a Teaching StrategiesⓇ
Dr. Kelly R. Little
Founder/President
Urban Institute for Strengthening Families
Session: Restoring the Roots: Healing from the Inside Out
Dr. Deirdre Manley
No Limit Consulting
Session: Trauma-Informed Parenting for Fathers with Young Children
Melissa Radcliff
Program Director
Our Children’s Place of Coastal Horizons
Session: Invisible Sentence: Recognizing, Supporting, and Advocating for Children of Incarcerated and Returning Parents
Charles Raiford
Judicial District Manager (JDM) in Judicial District 3
NC Department of Adult Correction
Sessions: Unspoken Realities of Fatherhood
“Get to Stepping”: Dance Your Way to Wellness
Gary Robinson
Identity Coach & Healthy Masculinity Specialist
Gary Robinson Coaching & Consulting
Session: Beyond Being Present: Understanding the Man Behind the Behavior
Kenneth Robinson
JUST A.T.A.D.
Session: Home Plate
Keith Schumacher
Founder / Director
Father Friendly Schools
Sessions: From Events to Impact: A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Father Engagement
Beyond the Donut: Building a Sustainable School-Based Father Engagement Strategy
Reginald Simpson
Families & Communities Rising, Inc.
Session: The Father’s Route: Mapping How Fathers Navigate Our Programs
Jerome Thompson
Fatherhood Coordinator
South Carolina State Head Start Association Fatherhood Coalition
Sessions: “Man Up”: Negativity or Inspiration; Strategies for Supporting Family Engagement
Baron Warren
Founder & Lead Facilitator
Cuts & Coaching LLC
Session: 5 Steps to Engaged Fatherhood
Dr. Glen Warren
Executive Director
Fathers Forever
Session: You Can’t Teach What You Were Never Taught: Helping Fathers Build a New Legacy
Elizabeth Whitten
Chief Finance Office
WNCSource
Session: Building a High Impact Fiscal Strategy for Non Fiscal Leaders in Head Start
Brenda Workman
Owner/CEO
Brenda Workman Speaks, LLC
Sessions: Need More Energy? Eat Your Plants; How to Build Good Habits
Lester Young
Executive Director
Path2Redemption Training & Consulting
Sessions: Fatherhood After Prison: Restoring Fathers, Strengthening Families; Leading with a Trauma-Informed Lens
2026 Conference Sessions
Fatherhood & Family (12)
Healing & Wellness (10)
Reentry & Second Chances (3)
Program & Staff Strategy (9)
Leadership (6)
Fatherhood & Family (12)
Practical tools for fathers and male caregivers: play, co-parenting, boundaries, and legacy.
The First 7: The Father’s Blueprint for Building Children Who Thrive
Presented by Jamon Glover
The Dad Effect: How Positive Parenting Changes Lives
Presented by George Hicks
Fatherhood is a Journey, Not a Destination
Presented by Donald Hurst
Let’s Play! The Science & Practice of Father and Male-Caregiver Play
Presented by Deric Boston
Effective Boundary Setting for Building Strong Children
Presented by Deric Boston
The Co-Parenting Playbook: Tactical Strategies for Exes to Raise Happy, Healthy Children
Presented by Winona Fabre
Building a Legacy That Lasts
Presented by Deaderick Jones
Home Plate
Presented by Kenneth Robinson
Get Ready; Here I Come
Presented by Keshona Hargrove
5 Steps to Engaged Fatherhood
Presented by Baron Warren
You Can’t Teach What You Were Never Taught: Helping Fathers Build a New Legacy
Presented by Dr. Glen Warren
Trauma-Informed Parenting for Fathers with Young Children
Presented by Dr. Deirdre Manley
Healing & Wellness (10)
Mental health, healthy habits, and personal growth for men.
Adult Mental Health First Aid Primer: Centering Male Mental Health
Presented by Nicole Boone
Need More Energy? Eat Your Plants
Presented by Brenda Workman
How to Build Good Habits
Presented by Brenda Workman
Restoring the Roots: Healing from the Inside Out
Presented by Dr. Kelly R. Little
R.E.A.L. (Rebuilding Every Active Legacy)
Presented by Marcus Crank
“Man Up”: Negativity or Inspiration
Presented by Jerome Thompson
“Crippled, But I’ve Got A Right To Be Here!” Insight Into the Crisis of the Current Culture
Presented by Andre’ C. Barnes, Sr.
“There’s a Leader In Me!” Releasing the Leader From Within
Presented by Andre’ C. Barnes, Sr.
Beyond Being Present: Understanding the Man Behind the Behavior
Presented by Gary Robinson
Inside Out
Presented by Shawn Jones
Reentry & Second Chances (3)
Supporting fathers and children affected by incarceration and the courts.
Beyond the Courtroom: A Father’s Journey from Conflict to Growth
Presented by Drake Fussell
Fatherhood After Prison: Restoring Fathers, Strengthening Families
Presented by Lester Young
Invisible Sentence: Recognizing, Supporting, and Advocating for Children of Incarcerated and Returning Parents
Presented by Melissa Radcliff
Program & Staff Strategy (9)
For Head Start staff and leaders building lasting male engagement in their programs.
At the Table: Culturally Responsive Communication Between Fathers, Male Caregivers & Schools
Presented by Deric Boston
Breaking Barriers: The Importance of Male Engagement in Early Childhood Education
Presented by Anthony Harrison
Family and Community Partnerships with a Focus on QRIS Family and Community Engagement
Presented by Ketica Cleveland
From Events to Impact: A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Father Engagement
Presented by Keith Schumacher
Beyond the Donut: Building a Sustainable School-Based Father Engagement Strategy
Presented by Keith Schumacher
Strategies for Supporting Family Engagement
Presented by Jerome Thompson
Leading with a Trauma-Informed Lens
Presented by Lester Young
The Father’s Route: Mapping How Fathers Navigate Our Programs
Presented by Reginald Simpson
The Head Start Journey: From Enrollment to Family Success
Presented by Dianne Binda
Leadership (6)
For Head Start leaders building sustaining successful programs.
Keep Great People: Leading with EQ Through Staffing Challenges
Presented by Reggie Clark
Breaking Barriers: The Importance of Male Engagement in Early Childhood Education
Presented by Anthony Harrison
Building High Impact Fiscal Strategy for Non Fiscal Leaders in Head Start
Presented by Elizabeth Whitten
Restoring the Roots: Healing from the Inside Out
Presented by Dr. Kelly Little
The Finch Literacy Screener, a Teaching StrategiesⓇ
Presented by Shonette Lewis & Jessica Fitzgerald
Quality Every Day: Maintaining Safe, Engaging, and Compliant EHS/HS Environments
Presented by Joy Abernathy
Succession Planning for Head Start Leaders
Presented by Chris Barnes
Long Term Planning for Nonprofits: An Alliance Between the Board, the Executive, and the Community
Presented by Jared Keaton
Venue
Hickory Metro Convention Center & Visitors Bureau
1960 13th Ave Dr SE
Hickory, NC 28602
Seats are limited! Register today!
Help build stronger partnerships, stronger families, and brighter futures for children.