Maria-Isabel Ballivian

Ms. Maria-Isabel Ballivian is the Executive Director of the ACCA Child Development Center, a NAEYC-accredited program that provides high-quality early education to more than 290 at-risk and underserved young children in Annandale, Virginia. With more than 25 years of experience across various national and international nonprofits, she has held key roles including educator, administrator, trainer, advocate, and consultant. As an innovative leader and seasoned manager, she has significantly enhanced the quality of care and education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and actively supported strategies that encourage greater family engagement and continuous professional development of early learning teachers, especially in integrating the use of technology. She has also testified and advocated to strengthen and improve the early childhood education ecosystem at the federal, state, and local levels. Her impactful work has been highlighted by prominent media outlets, such as The New York Times. Ms. Ballivian holds a Master of Science in Early Childhood Services from Arkansas State University.