MNAFEE Awards
We are thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2025 MNAFEE Awards - Lois Engstrom Leadership Award, Emerging Leader Award, Friend of the Year Award, and Innovative Programming Award. These outstanding individuals and organization have made significant contributions to the field of early childhood and have demonstrated significant visionary and cutting-edge work to transform practices, policies, and systems at the local and state level. They reflect our mission to promote, advocate for, and strengthen parenting education, Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), and early childhood programming in public schools.
DaNeil Sirjord, Early Childhood Director for St. Louis County Schools (ISD 2142), was honored with the 2025 MNAFEE Lois Engstrom Leadership Award at the annual conference in St. Cloud.
With over 30 years of service, Ms. Sirjord has been a powerful advocate for high-quality early learning, especially in rural Minnesota. From her early days teaching in church basements to leading one of the state’s largest geographic school districts, she has dedicated her career to supporting educators, families, and young children.
Her leadership is marked by collaboration, vision, and a deep commitment to developmentally appropriate practice. A mentor and trusted resource across the region, Ms. Sirjord continues to champion early childhood education as the foundation for lifelong learning and strong communities.
Read the full press release about the 2025 Lois Engstrom Leadership Award recipiant.
With over 30 years of service, Ms. Sirjord has been a powerful advocate for high-quality early learning, especially in rural Minnesota. From her early days teaching in church basements to leading one of the state’s largest geographic school districts, she has dedicated her career to supporting educators, families, and young children.
Her leadership is marked by collaboration, vision, and a deep commitment to developmentally appropriate practice. A mentor and trusted resource across the region, Ms. Sirjord continues to champion early childhood education as the foundation for lifelong learning and strong communities.
Read the full press release about the 2025 Lois Engstrom Leadership Award recipiant.
Larissa Kiel was honored with the Minnesota Association for Family and Early Education 2025 Emerging Leader Award. The award identifies rising leaders employed under five years in the fields of parent education, Early Childhood Family Education and/or early childhood programming in public schools in Minnesota.
Ms. Omar-Samatar is an exemplary rising leader in the field of parent education, serving as a licensed parent educator in the Minneapolis Public Schools ECFE program for four years. She currently teaches all classes for Somali families including home visits and phone consultations as well as outreach to increase enrollment. She has taken on projects such as developing a new parent education curriculum and serving on the bargaining team for Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. Prior to this she worked in her local community for more than 15 years supporting families and children in organizations such as Lyndale Neighborhood Association and People’s Center Clinics and Services.
Ms. Omar-Samatar sees her future role in the field to be a changemaker and cultural broer for all families. She would also love to create culturally relevant curricula and authentic spaces where equity and inclusion are best practice. We are so pleased that she is part of our future.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Emerging Leader Award.
Ms. Omar-Samatar is an exemplary rising leader in the field of parent education, serving as a licensed parent educator in the Minneapolis Public Schools ECFE program for four years. She currently teaches all classes for Somali families including home visits and phone consultations as well as outreach to increase enrollment. She has taken on projects such as developing a new parent education curriculum and serving on the bargaining team for Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. Prior to this she worked in her local community for more than 15 years supporting families and children in organizations such as Lyndale Neighborhood Association and People’s Center Clinics and Services.
Ms. Omar-Samatar sees her future role in the field to be a changemaker and cultural broer for all families. She would also love to create culturally relevant curricula and authentic spaces where equity and inclusion are best practice. We are so pleased that she is part of our future.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Emerging Leader Award.
Danielle Stein was honored with the Minnesota Association for Family and Early Education 2025 Emerging Leader Award. The award identifies rising leaders employed under five years in the fields of parent education, Early Childhood Family Education and/or early childhood programming in public schools in Minnesota.
Ms. Omar-Samatar is an exemplary rising leader in the field of parent education, serving as a licensed parent educator in the Minneapolis Public Schools ECFE program for four years. She currently teaches all classes for Somali families including home visits and phone consultations as well as outreach to increase enrollment. She has taken on projects such as developing a new parent education curriculum and serving on the bargaining team for Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. Prior to this she worked in her local community for more than 15 years supporting families and children in organizations such as Lyndale Neighborhood Association and People’s Center Clinics and Services.
Ms. Omar-Samatar sees her future role in the field to be a changemaker and cultural broer for all families. She would also love to create culturally relevant curricula and authentic spaces where equity and inclusion are best practice. We are so pleased that she is part of our future.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Emerging Leader Award.
Ms. Omar-Samatar is an exemplary rising leader in the field of parent education, serving as a licensed parent educator in the Minneapolis Public Schools ECFE program for four years. She currently teaches all classes for Somali families including home visits and phone consultations as well as outreach to increase enrollment. She has taken on projects such as developing a new parent education curriculum and serving on the bargaining team for Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. Prior to this she worked in her local community for more than 15 years supporting families and children in organizations such as Lyndale Neighborhood Association and People’s Center Clinics and Services.
Ms. Omar-Samatar sees her future role in the field to be a changemaker and cultural broer for all families. She would also love to create culturally relevant curricula and authentic spaces where equity and inclusion are best practice. We are so pleased that she is part of our future.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Emerging Leader Award.
Amy Koch was chosen as winner of the Friend of the Year Award for 2025. SMIF's entire region has a population of over 755,000 which covers the 20 counties of Southern Minnesota (Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, LeSueur, Martin, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan, and Winona.) The programs, grant making and technical support are given throughout the 20 county region which includes approximately 100 school districts. The focus is on developing effective strategies to address the needs of the region which include high quality training, technical assistance, grants, funding and the necessary resources to support the early childhood care and education field.
SMIF invests over $1.5 million annually to support a variety of early childhood development projects and programs. They clearly see the connection between investing in our youngest children – to prepare them to be the workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of tomorrow. An example of that is the New Prague school district which received over $50,000 from SMIF to help fund projects that positively impact families with young children. Their support provided: social emotional learning bags, parent resources totes, equipment for our gym, parent resource website, tuition money for scholarships to service more students, children's books for low income families, screening, little libraries in area businesses, kick off to kindergarten activity kits and this is just one school district! Their support has made a positive impact with thousands of families with young children not only in New Prague but across the southern region of Minnesota.
The dedication and commitment of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation helps ensure that the quality of the programming and services we provide to families of our youngest children continues for years to come.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Friend of the Year Award.
SMIF invests over $1.5 million annually to support a variety of early childhood development projects and programs. They clearly see the connection between investing in our youngest children – to prepare them to be the workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of tomorrow. An example of that is the New Prague school district which received over $50,000 from SMIF to help fund projects that positively impact families with young children. Their support provided: social emotional learning bags, parent resources totes, equipment for our gym, parent resource website, tuition money for scholarships to service more students, children's books for low income families, screening, little libraries in area businesses, kick off to kindergarten activity kits and this is just one school district! Their support has made a positive impact with thousands of families with young children not only in New Prague but across the southern region of Minnesota.
The dedication and commitment of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation helps ensure that the quality of the programming and services we provide to families of our youngest children continues for years to come.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Friend of the Year Award.
Amy Koch was chosen as winner of the Friend of the Year Award for 2025. SMIF's entire region has a population of over 755,000 which covers the 20 counties of Southern Minnesota (Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, LeSueur, Martin, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan, and Winona.) The programs, grant making and technical support are given throughout the 20 county region which includes approximately 100 school districts. The focus is on developing effective strategies to address the needs of the region which include high quality training, technical assistance, grants, funding and the necessary resources to support the early childhood care and education field.
SMIF invests over $1.5 million annually to support a variety of early childhood development projects and programs. They clearly see the connection between investing in our youngest children – to prepare them to be the workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of tomorrow. An example of that is the New Prague school district which received over $50,000 from SMIF to help fund projects that positively impact families with young children. Their support provided: social emotional learning bags, parent resources totes, equipment for our gym, parent resource website, tuition money for scholarships to service more students, children's books for low income families, screening, little libraries in area businesses, kick off to kindergarten activity kits and this is just one school district! Their support has made a positive impact with thousands of families with young children not only in New Prague but across the southern region of Minnesota.
The dedication and commitment of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation helps ensure that the quality of the programming and services we provide to families of our youngest children continues for years to come.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Friend of the Year Award.
SMIF invests over $1.5 million annually to support a variety of early childhood development projects and programs. They clearly see the connection between investing in our youngest children – to prepare them to be the workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of tomorrow. An example of that is the New Prague school district which received over $50,000 from SMIF to help fund projects that positively impact families with young children. Their support provided: social emotional learning bags, parent resources totes, equipment for our gym, parent resource website, tuition money for scholarships to service more students, children's books for low income families, screening, little libraries in area businesses, kick off to kindergarten activity kits and this is just one school district! Their support has made a positive impact with thousands of families with young children not only in New Prague but across the southern region of Minnesota.
The dedication and commitment of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation helps ensure that the quality of the programming and services we provide to families of our youngest children continues for years to come.
Learn more as you read the press release about the 2025 Friend of the Year Award.