Statewide Child Care Licensing Administrator Retires

The Department of Early Learning (DEL) announces today that Mary Kay Quinlan will retire from her position as the Statewide Licensing Administrator after nearly 40 years of licensed child care work in Washington.

Mary Kay Quinlan

Quinlan has made significant strides in improving the quality of licensing services and the availability of licensed early learning opportunities for Washington’s littlest learners. Under Quinlan’s leadership, DEL implemented a differential monitoring approach that supported consistency and efficiency of licensing practices. Her passion focused on safe and healthy environments for the diverse communities of children and families in Washington state.

“One of my proudest accomplishments is the data-informed improvement of licensing policies, procedures and regulations,” said Quinlan. “These improvements support providers and encourage them to develop professionally and to view the child care setting with health and safety of children as the main priority.”

Quinlan also enhanced DEL communication with parents and communities, creating an awareness of licensing regulations, policies and procedures, while promoting a “whole child” approach that acknowledges and honors the diverse needs of children during some of their most influential years.

Other key accomplishments under Quinlan’s leadership include:

• revising regulations that enable home-based providers to focus on quality of their services and better care and education for early learners; 
• engaging licensors and licensed providers in implementation of Early Achievers, our state’s quality rating and improvement system; and
• initiating work on health and safety for infants and toddlers by implementing the Safe Sleep initiative and supporting the state Early Head Start and Child Care Partnerships collaboration.

“Under Mary Kay’s leadership, Washington’s child care licensing system has made tremendous strides in ensuring health and safety of early learning environments for our state’s youngest population,” said Heather Moss, DEL’s Deputy Director. “Our leadership team would like to congratulate her on an exceptional career in state service. Her commitment to ensuring the health, safety and educational opportunities for all children makes her a lifelong ally for the families we serve.”

Quinlan’s last day will be December 31, 2015. Luba Bezborodnikova, DEL Assistant Director for the Early Start Act, will assume the lead role in statewide child care licensing moving forward. Regional Licensing Administrators from DEL’s four child care licensing regions will also aid in this transition.

For all licensing questions, comments and suggestions please contact Luba Bezborodnikova, DEL Assistant Director for the Early Start Act at luba.bezborodnikova@del.wa.gov or 360-725-4404.

DEL’s Regional Licensing Administrators are also available for licensing questions as they pertain to different parts of the state:

Cammey Rocco, Regional Licensing Administrator (Southwest)

253-983-6413

Cammey.rocco@del.wa.gov

Heather West, Regional Licensing Administrator (Northwest - King)

425-917-7967

Heather.west@del.wa.gov

Robert Kerwin, Regional Licensing Administrator (Eastern)

DEL Child Care Licensing Regions

509-789-3833

Robert.kerwin@del.wa.gov

Travis Hansen, Regional Licensing Administrator (North Central)

509-834-6840

Travis.hansen@del.wa.gov