Miami native Madeleine Thakur is named first woman president of The Children’s Movement
The Children’s Movement of Florida, a statewide nonprofit that advocates for early learning and parent support, on Tuesday announced its new president — the first woman and first mother to join the organization’s executive ranks.
Madeleine Thakur, a Miami native, will begin her new post immediately. She began as chief of staff at the organization in 2017, after spending almost a decade working on economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean. At the Children’s Movement, she led an internal review of the organization’s policies on employee retention, which led to a new paid parental policy.
As president, Thakur will lead efforts in Florida to expand investment in early learning programs, healthcare for children and parental support, amid a pandemic that has devastated the child care industry, including in Florida, and often created dilemmas for families who must juggle a job and child care.
She will begin with an agenda that focuses on parents and caregivers of small children.
“Ensuring all children get off to a strong start is really the most important work for Florida’s future,” Thakur said in a statement.
Thakur is chair of the Florida Early Learning Consortium, which focuses on legislative advocacy, and whose members include parents, small business owners and nonprofit child care operators.
“I could not be more proud of all that Madeleine has accomplished in her three years at The Movement and am thrilled to announce this promotion,” said Vance Aloupis, the CEO of The Children’s Movement and a Republican member of the Florida House, representing District 115 in Miami-Dade.
The Children’s Movement, a nonpartisan group, was founded in 2010 by former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence Jr., who now serves as board chair.
This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 6:18 PM.
