(MITCHELL) – David Miller, Hoosier Uplands Chief Executive Officer, says Debbie Beeler is the Hoosier Uplands’ Community Services Award winner for 2020. This award is given annually and is the highest honor given by the local nonprofit agency.
Beeler has been employed by Hoosier Uplands for more than 32 years and is currently the Director of Children’s Services which includes the Head Start program.
“Under Debbie’s leadership our Head Start program has grown from serving 122 children and families to nearly 300,” Miller said. “We have also built new Head Start Centers in Paoli and Salem and improved our other facilities,” he added. “We are proud to have Debbie and she is recognized nationally as a leader in early childhood development” Miller concluded.
Locally Beeler has served on the Lawrence County Workforce Coalition Core Team, the Lawrence County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review team, the Orange County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review team, the Lawrence County Extension board, North Lawrence Career Center director’s advisory board, the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County board of directors, SOAR adult literacy board, the Consortium of Shoals, Mitchell and Orleans Schools (COSMOS), Lawrence County Healthy Families advisory board.
At the state level she serves as the Head Start representative to the Student Transportation Association of Indiana, member of the Indiana University School of Public Health Community Advisory Board, and on the SPARK Regional Advisory Council for Service Delivery Area 5 which covers 28 counties in southern Indiana.
Additionally, Beeler currently serves as the vice president of the Indiana Head Start Association; the secretary of the Region V Head Start Association board (Region V covers Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin); and the secretary of the board of directors for the National Head Start Association
Beginning in January she will be serving as the Head Start Director Mentor for the “Critical Importance of Head Start: Understanding the history and components of Head Start” for the National Head Start Association’s new Head Start Directors credential.
Beeler also previously served 16.5 years on the Mitchell Community Schools Board of School Trustees.
