Barbara E. Harvey and has been working with kids since she was 13 years old. As an elementary, middle, and high school teacher, babysitter, camp counselor, house parent and mentor to kids she has had many years to perfect her craft. Her combination of education and experience has given her a unique view of children and how they think, feel and believe. She started her teaching career after graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science from Harris-Stowe University in Elementary Education. She obtained her Masters of Arts in May in Early Childhood Education from Oral Roberts University.
In July 1995, Harvey was hired to develop the Early Childhood Development Program at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) in Springfield, Missouri. This opportunity afforded several honors. She became a part of the Missouri Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences Board where she was the chairperson of two separate committees from 1995-1997. This Board worked with state legislators and the Missouri Department of Education to help them set and design a policy geared toward working with students on issues that related to family and consumer sciences.
Harvey was also the keynote address speaker to the Springfield Home Daycare Association in May 1996 where she discussed professionalism in childcare. This 45 minute speech encouraged Home Child Care Providers to see themselves as professionals who offer a service to parents and their expertise in child care to the children.
While at OTC, she was a co-leader of the Business and Technology Academic Advisement Team, she participated in a leadership-training program. This program involved nine faculty members participating in a team building and team facilitation class, which focused on Joiner’s Seven Step method of teambuilding. Upon completion of this class, she was paired with another faculty classmate and became the co-leader of the Business and Humanities Team at OTC. This group focused on helping to streamline processes and to improve the coordination of student advisement.
When Harvey arrived in Georgia, she began working for High Hope, Inc., a community development corporation where she developed several programs, wrote grants and held a major fundraiser. It was in December 2005, when Harvey decided to dedicate her time to her passion and Parents, Teachers and Advocates, Inc became a reality. She has taught parenting classes for the Salvation Army, Atlanta Public Schools, Home Stretch, Drake House, the Child Development Association, the Georgia Association for Young Children Annual Conference in 2006 and others. Many of the organizations work with families who need greater support due to the stress brought about through homelessness, unemployment and underemployment along with economic downturn. PT&A works hard to be a supporter of families who are dealing with high stress.
She was the 2008 Sara Wolf award winner, an award that is given by the Center for the Visually Impaired to individuals who have overcome the struggles of visual impairment to move on and become hard-working and dedicated members of society. She was invited to become a member of the National Association of Professional Women, an international organization supporting and mentoring women of professional distinction in February 2011.
Harvey is currently a volunteer with the United Way of Metro Atlanta Community Investment Team visiting and giving her input on agencies in Fulton County that work with children and families. She is also the Chairperson of the Atlanta Fulton Family Connection committee on Child Abuse and Neglect (AFFC). The AFFC is a consortium of non-profit organizations, government agencies, business leaders, and community members who work on networking services and best practices in Fulton County under the Georgia’s Family Connection Partnership Program.
