Meet the Best Care Staff

(left to right): T. Johnston, K. Randall, and S. Jones

Traci Johnston is a child care program associate for the University Of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. She has coordinated The Best Care and Best Care Connected, early childhood professional development programs for almost ten years. She writes grants, administers grant funding, writes early childhood curriculum, trains family and consumer science agents, and teaches early childhood educators. Traci is a member of the Marriage, Parenting & Family Life initiative team where she has worked on publications like: The Parenting Journey, Choices in the Personal Journey and the Marriage Garden.

Traci presents at local, state and national early childhood and parenting conferences on a variety of subjects like: The Preschool Scientist, Math Made Fun, Stress Management, The Parenting Journey and Attitude is Everything. Traci is an active member of AECA, SECA and NAEYC. Traci served two consecutive terms as First Vice President of Publications for AECA and has been conference program chair on three different occasions. She is currently President of the Arkansas Early Childhood Association.

Traci has a BA in Child Development from Harding University and a MS in Human Environmental Sciences from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Traci and her husband reside in Conway with their three-year-old daughter, Tori. They enjoy running, scrapbooking, playing golf and spending time with family and friends.

For additional information about The Best Care and Best Care Connected programs, visit arfamilies.org/child_care.htm. Traci can be reached at 501-671-2364 or tjohnston@uaex.edu

Katy Randall

Katy has been with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in Little Rock since April 1, 2002 as a Child Care Program Technician. She works on The Best Care, child care training program handling evaluation, reporting and data entry, as well as works on the Marriage Parenting and Family Life Team.

She attended the Salt Lake Community College where she received an Associate of Science Degree in Business. She also attended Utah State University where she received a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology.

She worked for the Salt Lake Community College previously for 8 years in Registration and later worked in Academic Advising where she served as an Orientation Leader. She also volunteered for a High School Counselor at the Salt Lake Community College, working with students on completing their High School credit.

Katy and her husband Todd previously lived in Utah and San Antonio, Texas before the Air Force transferred them to Arkansas where they settled in Cabot. Katy enjoys playing piano. She enjoys spending time with her husband of eight years, taking a drive around town, watching movies, working out, watching Todd play soccer, laughing together and just talking. Todd is my best friend and a great companion.

You may contact Katy at krandall@uaex.edu  or 501-671-2069 for more information about Extension’s child care training programs.

Sherry is a Child Care Program Technician and she designs and maintains the online course, Best Care Connected. She also designs many of the promotional items and writes nutrition curriculum for the Best Care Programs. Sherry has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and is a Registered Dietitian. In her spare time, Sherry likes to paint and she also sings in the Arkansas Chamber Singers. Sherry and her husband, Kevin Jones, are expecting their first child May 2008. Sherry can be reached at sdjones@uaex.edu or 501-671-2108.