The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Bureau of Family Health (BFH) Department of Health (DOH) jointly hosted the 2026 Pennsylvania Family Leadership Conference on March 24 - 25, 2026, bringing together more than 150 invited participants for an inspiring convening centered on the vital role of family voices in shaping maternal and early childhood systems.
The invitation‑only conference introduced and highlighted an exclusive preview of OCDEL’s Family Leadership Toolkit, a foundational resource designed to support authentic family engagement, shared decision‑making, and leadership development across Pennsylvania's maternal and early childhood systems.
Guided by the theme, Elevating Family Voices: Transforming Maternal and Early Childhood Systems Together, the event united family leaders with state‑level maternal and early childhood professionals, including family engagement consultants, policymakers, administrators, and researchers. Cindy Findley, Deputy Secretary, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Department of Health, delivered welcome remarks, highlighting the Commonwealth’s commitment to advancing family‑centered leadership.
This historic convening marked the first family leadership conference of its kind not only in Pennsylvania, but across the country, with a distinct focus on elevating family voices within maternal and early childhood systems. At the heart of the conference was the understanding that family leadership starts early, during pregnancy and in the earliest years of parenting. Speakers included state and national professional and family leaders, as well as representatives from other states, who shared promising practices, innovative approaches, and lessons learned. The conference kicked off the release of the Family Leadership Toolkit.
The conference also featured resource tables that supported learning, connection, and collaboration. Together, the learning, shared experiences, and new connections built during the conference were intended to build momentum for lasting change across Pennsylvania, advancing a future in which family voices are centered, valued, and meaningfully embedded in maternal and early childhood systems statewide.