Mary
Margaret Reagan-Montiel Early Childhood Program Manager
Mary
Margaret Reagan-Montiel oversees all of the work in
Early Childhood for the National Institute on Media
and the Family. She manages partnership development,
Mediawise trainings, content development and the
through-u - Families Become MediaWise® program.
She comes to the Institute from Greater Minneapolis
Day Care Association (GMDCA) a Child Care Resource and
Referral agency were she managed a diverse team of outreach
staff working to support child care providers in Hennepin
County. She created, managed and delivered a unique
project supporting Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers
(FFN) in North Minneapolis and consulted one-on-one
with Licensed Family Child Care providers in Minneapolis
among many other projects in her five years at GMDCA.
Prior to GMDCA, Mary Margaret worked on a pilot project
supporting families and adult adoptees with post adoption
services. She created the States first post adoption
clearinghouse of information and resources.
Ms. Reagan-Montiel received at B.A. in Psychology from
the College of Saint Catherine, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Mary Margaret volunteers at the East African Women’s
Center, and Wilshire Park Elementary School.
Joyce O'Meara Eckhardt Program Assistant
Joyce
O'Meara Eckhardt joined National Institute on Media
and the Family as a program assistant for
through-u - Families Become MediaWise® in
March, 2007, after working with children and families
for many years. Most recently, at Greater Minneapolis
Day Care Association, she provided information, referrals
and consultation to parents looking for child care.
She also served as GMDCA's representative on several
community collaboratives, concerned with topics as diverse
as school readiness, special needs and public policy.
Previously, as a Montessori preschool teacher for many
years, she was responsible for parent education as well
as teaching and curriculum development. For more than
ten years, Joyce has also been involved with Peace Village,
a two-week summer camp based on peaceful conflict resolution,
social justice learning and service aimed at elementary-aged
children. Her responsibilities have included writing
curriculum, teaching, and serving as registrar.
Georgia Hlebaen Program Assistant
Georgia
Hlebaen joined the Institute in January of 2006 as an
intern for the Early Childhood Program. She found the
experience so inspiring that she accepted a full time
position as Early Childhood Program Assistant that same
summer and presently continues to bring
through-u - Families Become MediaWise® programs
to local communities through workshops and events. In
addition to her work at the Institute, Georgia is completing
her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish at the University
of Minnesota. She has volunteer experience at Washburn
Child Guidance Center in the Infant Toddler Program
and worked with The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota
as a part of a Medical Spanish course. She spent five
months during the spring of 2007 studying in Seville,
Spain where she honed her understanding of Spanish language
and culture.
Mary
Margaret Reagan-Montiel oversees all of the work in
Early Childhood for the National Institute on Media
and the Family. She manages partnership development,
Mediawise trainings, content development and the 
through-u - Families Become MediaWise® program.
Joyce
O'Meara Eckhardt joined National Institute on Media
and the Family as a program assistant for 
Georgia
Hlebaen joined the Institute in January of 2006 as an
intern for the Early Childhood Program. She found the
experience so inspiring that she accepted a full time
position as Early Childhood Program Assistant that same
summer and presently continues to bring 