Twyla has worked in the Early Education field since 1979. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Education from Drake University in Des Moines, IA with certification to teach K-12 Art. Twyla’s first teaching position was as a preschool teacher during the founding stages of the Naples Family YMCA Child Development Center. There she helped grow the program, became the CDC Director, and eventually added coursework and certification to teach Prek3 - 3rd Grade. Twyla moved back to Iowa for 16 years, where she designed a preschool & Kindergarten parochial school for a West Des Moines Lutheran church. Twyla was both Director and teacher in Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms while there; this program became the largest Lutheran Early Education program in Iowa District West. During her last year in Iowa – also her last year working directly with children in the classroom - Twyla was awarded the Golden Apple Award for teaching. Twyla moved to the Tampa area in 2008 and has been affiliated with the ELCHC ever since; in 2012 she became an ‘official’ employee of the ELC.
Twyla is passionate about providing all children with optimal early learning experiences that in turn produce optimal outcomes for their future, and now uses her teaching skills with adult learners. By supporting early childhood educators in their professional development and work with children, she can have an impact on helping teachers do their best which in turn allows children to do their best. Over the years Twyla has developed many trainings for the Coalition; she has presented some of these at conferences such as NAEYC, FLAEYC and One Goal. As Program Quality Specialist, Twyla coaches, Community of Practice (CoP), Technical Assistance, CLASS Observations, as well as trainings.
Though now living in Florida, Twyla is an Iowa farm girl at heart and misses her menagerie of animals (especially horses!). She currently has one cat (only allowed to have one). Art and creating continue to be an important part of Twyla’s world; she also enjoys sewing and reading. An avid beachgoer and sheller in past years, she still enjoys shelling ‘vicariously’ on YouTube, then dusting her shell collections!