Meet the 2025 DCAEYC Board Candidates

As part of the 2025 Board election, we are pleased to introduce the candidates who have stepped forward to serve and support the organization’s mission. Each candidate brings unique expertise and a shared dedication to equity, collaboration, and high-quality early learning for children and families across the District.

Secretary Board Member Candidate

Dale Brown

Dale Brown brings decades of leadership experience in early childhood systems, family support, and large-scale human services administration. She currently manages the District of Columbia Child Care Resource and Referral program, with a focus on strengthening family engagement and collaboration among educators and partner agencies.

Throughout her career, Dale has led and supported major initiatives, including the implementation of DC Universal Pre-K, the DC Head Start Collaborative, and programs within the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration. Her experience also includes statewide and multi-state leadership roles related to training, staff development, public information, and the implementation of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) systems across the District of Columbia, Maryland, Florida, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and other states.

With more than fifty years of experience overseeing human services programs, Dale has contributed to initiativeb

At-Large Board Member Candidates

Brandon Howard

Brandon Howard is Senior Vice President in the Washington, DC office of Divaris Real Estate, Inc., where he has spent more than a decade representing tenants and landlords throughout the Greater Washington metropolitan area, with a specialization in child care real estate.

Previously, Brandon served as a commercial real estate portfolio manager at EagleBank, overseeing a loan portfolio exceeding $100 million. He also held the role of urban district manager for the Bethesda Urban District, managing multi-million-dollar contracts related to marketing, maintenance, and transportation services.

Brandon is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Howard University School of Law. He is a frequent presenter on commercial real estate issues impacting early childhood programs and has spoken at national and statewide conferences, including the Association of Early Learning Leaders National Conference and the Maryland State Child Care Association Conference.

In 2021, Brandon was appointed by Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich to the Montgomery County Commission on Child Care, where he served as co-vice chair. His extensive civic and professional service includes roles with NAEYC, Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day, and several Montgomery County and Bethesda-based boards and advisory committees.

Austin Lee

Austin Lee brings more than 13 years of experience teaching, mentoring, and advocating within the early childhood education field. He holds an academic background in Early Childhood Education from the University of the District of Columbia and is deeply committed to creating warm, supportive learning environments where all children can thrive.

Currently, Austin serves as a Child Development Associate Success Coach, supporting new educators as they build skills, confidence, and professional identity in early learning settings. He also serves on the Children’s National Patient and Family Advisory Council, where he collaborates on initiatives aimed at improving the experience of patients, families, and staff.

Austin’s lived experience as a two-time kidney transplant recipient has shaped his commitment to advocacy, equity, and compassionate care. His work is grounded in the belief that every child and family deserves access to developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and responsive early learning experiences.

Johnathaan L. Pannell

Johnathaan L. Pannell is a seasoned human capital, equity, and organizational strategy executive with over a decade of experience leading people-centered transformation across nonprofit, public, and mission-driven organizations.

He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of District Partnerships and Consulting, where he advises organizations on executive search, organizational design, DEIB strategy, and leadership development to support sustainable and equitable growth. Johnathaan brings deep operational experience from senior leadership roles overseeing human resources, finance, compliance, and large-scale workforce initiatives.

His work is grounded in building inclusive systems that balance accountability, compliance, and humanity, particularly within organizations serving historically marginalized communities. Known for his strategic rigor and relational leadership style, Johnathaan partners closely with boards and executive teams to align people strategy with long-term mission impact.

DCAEYC’s strength is rooted in active member engagement and shared leadership. Members are encouraged to review each candidate’s background and participate in the voting process to help guide the future of the organization. Voting is now open (click here to vote), and your voice plays an important role in shaping DCAEYC’s leadership and continued impact.