Derrick Toups is a smart and strategic leader with deep expertise in the early care and education space. Derrick has successfully led collaborative systems-level impact at the state, regional, and local levels in Louisiana, having worked with government, policy bodies, and diverse coalitions. He thrives when setting and implementing strategy; when translating between research, policy, and practice; and when shepherding external partnerships.Derrick currently serves as Deputy Director, Center for Early Childhood Advancement at Agenda for Children in New Orleans, where he has annually stewarded over $40 million in public funding and contracts to implement the city's historic early childhood millage. A former third grade and early childhood teacher, Derrick is a lifelong educator, and is adjunct faculty at multiple Louisiana community colleges where he teaches courses on early childhood development.Derrick serves on the Steering Committee of the New Orleans Early Education Network (NOEEN), on the Legislative Committee of the Child Care Association of Louisiana (CCAL), as a Community Partner of the Early Childhood Education Institute at Louisiana State University (LSU), and as a Peer Reviewer for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs. Derrick previously served on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Early Childhood Association (LAECA), on the Advisory Council for the Louisiana Association for the Education of Young Children (LAAEYC), and on the Louisiana Early Learning and Development Standards Review Committee.Derrick is the recipient of the 2022 Phil Acord Award from the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA) and the 2020 Mildred Souther Award from the Louisiana Early Childhood Association (LAECA). Derrick is most proud to serve in the role of dad to Evangeline.