The Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois (EITP) and IDHS Bureau of Early Intervention invite Child and Family Connections (CFCs) to join us for the 2026 CFC Conference, The Heart of EI: Honoring CFCs and the Power of Connection, on April 30, 2026 from 8:15 am to 3:30 pm.
This conference is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the vital work you do in supporting families. This conference offers a unique opportunity to learn from experts in fields such as infant/early childhood development, cultural humility, relationship building, conflict resolution, professional ethics, advocacy, and affirming care. These experts will share their knowledge and experiences on issues that are highly relevant to CFC Service Coordinators and Staff.
Our keynote presentation, YOU Are the Heart of Early Intervention: Connection Matters, by Amy King, PhD, will explore the vital role of CFCs, who are the heartbeat of early intervention—bridging services, supporting families, and nurturing growth during life’s most formative moments. Together, participants will dive into how to cultivate connection, safety, collaboration, and trust—not only for the families served, but also within yourself and your teams. This session will recharge you with hope, practical tools, and a renewed sense of purpose, while gaining insight into the power of self-regulation and self-preservation in sustaining this important work.
Materials and Resources
This section contains handouts and resources from the 2026 CFC Conference, listed in alphabetical order of session title. This section will be updated with new items as they are shared by presenters, so please check in after the conference to see what is new!
5 Things to Know about Autism, Neurodiversity, & Early Intervention (pdf) presented by Cari Ebert, M.S., CCC-SLP
Creating Cultures of Trust presented by Dr. Amy King, Ph.D
Feeding in Early Intervention: Is It Medical or Developmental? presented by Stephanie Cohen, M.A., CCC-SLP, CLC & Karen Dilfer, M.S., OTR/L, C/NDT
Is That Typical? Should I Be Worried? When Will My Child… How Service Coordinators Use Age Anchoring with Families presented by Amy Cocorikis & Meg Bracco Liebreich, PT
Partners in Possibility: Strengthening Collaborations Between Early Intervention, Families, & Community Childcare Programs presented by Dr. Mollie Romano, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Power, Privilege & Partnership: Centering Families in Early Intervention presented by Joe Truss, M.A.
Transition with Confidence: A Guide for Service Coordinators presented by Gina Musielski & Tammy Wrobbel, M.S., CIMI
The Confident Service Coordinator: How to Communicate Well, Stay Organized, and Feel Steady in the Work presented by Dr. Mona Amin, D.O., IBCLC
Why Do We Need to Know? Intake and Identifying Risk presented by Dr. Edith Chernoff, M.D.
2026 CFC Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE COORDINATION
Service coordinators must artfully blend their knowledge, skills, time, and talents. This person excels in the following traits aligned to the Knowledge and Skills for Service Coordinators (KSSC). This award goes to the service coordinator who is flexible, resilient, and able to lead with the confidence to utilize their blend of knowledge, skills, time, and talents to meet the demands of the role while supporting positive outcomes for families!
SPIRIT OF EARLY INTERVENTION
The Spirit of EI Award honors an individual who embodies the true heart of Early Intervention. This person brings dedication to the mission and principles of EI, while bringing authentic family partnerships rooted in respect, cultural responsiveness, and shared decision-making. This individual also demonstrates a commitment to collaborating with colleagues while promoting positive outcomes for all children and families.
FAMILY ADVOCATE
This person is always working toward one common goal: supporting families throughout their EI journey. This person honors all families and ensures that the family's voice is at the forefront of all team discussions and decisions, helping them to feel seen, valued, and included. This person's advocacy efforts may improve families’ well-being, connect them to other families, or promote their understanding of relevant services, programs, or resources. Any family participating in EI would be lucky to have this person in their corner.
- Julia Bartczak, CFC #15
- Myriah Saunders, CFC #1
LIGHTHOUSE
This person’s demeanor helps ease others’ worries and tension, and overall promotes a sense of calm in the storm. They are exceptionally skilled at listening to others, offering validating or encouraging words, and supportive coaching and guidance. Their careful listening and inquiry help others feel a sense of lightness or relief. They are keenly attuned to knowing when someone needs a little pick-me-up, a funny text, or a simple check-in.
- Lindsay Baskin, CFC #24
- Christina Breuer, CFC #17
OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
This person understands the daily operations of the CFC office. Their organization, time management, and initiative help the CFC run efficiently and smoothly. Their keen intuition and experience help them anticipate and prevent operational glitches in the office. To boot, their friendly personality makes the office vibe more delightful! They know exactly what needs to be done and make it happen with a smile! Without this person and their efforts, things would turn into chaos.
- Pam Drake, CFC #3
- Tracy Tamayo, CFC #15
RESOURCE GURU
This person is a walking “Central Directory”. Whether it's connecting a family to child care or helping a service coordinator navigate a referral to an outside agency, this person knows all the resources available in their area and how to connect others to them. They generously offer their assistance by writing an introductory email, making a phone call, simply “name dropping” a resource, and/or following up. They go above and beyond to ensure appropriate connections are made, supporting their co-workers, as well as families and children participating in EI.
- Jillian Santora, CFC #5
- Nicole Van Hise, CFC #22
RISING STAR
This award recognizes an outstanding individual who has worked within the CFC office for less than 1 year. Although new in their position, this person truly understands and embodies the principles of EI. This person’s passion shines through in everyday interactions with teams. Their stellar organizational and leadership skills promote timely and collaborative interactions and services. Their thoughtful approach with families exemplifies sensitivity, empathy, and compassion. This person’s future in EI is bright!
- Allison Conboy, CFC #17
- Meagan Wright, CFC #19
TECHNOLOGY ALLY
This person understands all things technology related! This individual is there to lend a helping hand, troubleshoot Cornerstone issues, set up a live video visit (LVV) for a family, or connect that printer/scanner to the internet/network. Going above and beyond the “have you tried turning it off and on again?” approach, this person always knows exactly what to do to fix the problem and does so kindly and patiently.
- Elizabeth Haro, CFC #6
- Martha Socki, CFC #9
