NC Child and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine are hosting the second annual State of the Child Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Hosted by NC Child and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM), the State of the Child Summit will focus on the current state of children’s health and well-being in North Carolina, and engage parents, lawmakers, and leaders across communities, sectors, and organizations in discussions around policy solutions to ensure North Carolina’s children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Registration
Registration will open at 8:15AM. When you get to the Raleigh Convention Center, enter through the main entrance that faces Salisbury Street. The Summit will take place on the Cabarrus Street side of the Convention Center. (Just look for the signs pointing to registration when you walk in!)
Parking and Transportation
The Raleigh Convention Center’s website has details about nearby parking decks and public transportation options. You can also find a map of city-owned parking decks here. Please note that South Street in downtown Raleigh is closed for construction, so be sure to allow yourself extra time in the morning to get to the Raleigh Convention Center.
Food and Beverages
We’re pleased to have a light continental breakfast in the morning, featuring a selection of muffins, Danish, and fruit. For lunch, we’ll have a Tex-Mex style buffet, with plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options. The full lunch menu can be found at the bottom of this page.
Champions for Children Reception
If you are also registered for the Champions for Children Reception, please enter the NC Museum of Natural Sciences through the Jones Street entrance that is connected to The Daily Planet Cafe and the Nature Research Center. (This is the side of the museum with the giant globe on the outside!)
In these sessions, you'll be hearing from industry leaders, legislators, community partners, parents, and youth on the critical issues that affect our state's youngest residents. Read more about our plenary panels here.
Governor Josh Stein was called to public service by his faith and his family. His faith teaches him that we are all called to make a difference, and his parents raised his brother, sister, and him to try to do what is right, like they did, and grounded them in our shared values of freedom and opportunity for everyone. As Attorney General, Josh and his team cleared the nation’s largest backlog of untested rape kits, tackled the opioid and fentanyl crises, and defended people’s fundamental freedoms. As Governor, Josh is bringing people together to help western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene, create economic opportunity for all North Carolinians, invest in public schools, and keep people safe. Josh and his wife Anna live in Raleigh and are members of Temple Beth Or. They are the proud parents of Sam, Adam, and Leah, who all attended North Carolina public schools, just like they did.
Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt’s professional and political journey is defined by a deep commitment to fighting for hardworking families and strong public service. Lieutenant Governor Hunt previously served in both the North Carolina House and Senate, where she sponsored legislation aimed at supporting families and children, including establishing paid leave and strengthening our schools. Earlier this year, she released her Future-Ready North Carolina agenda that outlines how we can set our state up for further success in no small part by tackling the child care crisis and making sure each family has access to high-quality and affordable child care.
Secretary Sangvai is a family medicine physician and a professor at Duke University. He is also a member of the North Carolina Medical Board. Prior to his role with NCDHHS, he served as President of Duke Regional Hospital and President of the North Carolina Medical Society. His work has focused improving access, developing the healthcare workforce, and making care more efficient. Dr. Sangvai is the first Indian American cabinet member to serve under a North Carolina governor.
Dr. Osborne is the founder and executive director of the national Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, an academic research center that translates the science of the developing child into state level policies with the strongest evidence base of effectiveness. She is also a Professor of Early Childhood Education and Policy in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Dr. Osborne is a 2023 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow and has also co-authored reports for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on Building an Agenda to Reduce the Number of Children in Poverty by Half in 10 Years and Exploring the Opportunity Gap for Young Children from Birth to Age Eight.
In After the Flood, community leaders and child health experts will discuss Hurricane Helene’s specific impact on child health and well-being in Western North Carolina.
Moderated by: Nathan Ramsey, Executive Director, Land of Sky Regional Council
Panelists:
In Our Voices, Our Future, members of the NC Child Youth Advocacy Council (YAC) will share their stories and experiences around the youth mental health crisis—and share with us their vision for a healthier future for themselves and their peers.
Moderated by: Rwenshaun Miller, Psychotherapist, The Good Stress Company, Eustress Inc.
Panelists:
In Room to Grow, policy and child development experts and leaders in North Carolina’s business community will discuss what works in current ECE policy and what steps we can take to make North Carolina the best place to raise a family.
Moderated by Dan Wuori, Founder & President, Early Childhood Policy Solutions, and author of “The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care and Education (And What We Should Do About It)”
Panelists:
In The Way Forward, NC Child and NCIOM staff will facilitate large- and small-group conversations with State of the Child Summit attendees about the different strategies, collaborations, and opportunities we have to change outcomes for North Carolina’s more than 2 million children.
Introduction by Allison Boyd, NC Child Parent Advisory Council Member
In these sessions, you'll be hearing from industry leaders, legislators, community partners, parents, and youth on the critical issues that affect our state's youngest residents. Read more about our breakout sessions here.
In Building Blocks, our panelists will discuss how different public policies and strategic investments can help North Carolina’s child care centers recruit and retain the desperately needed “workforce behind the workforce.”
Moderated by Sarah Vanover, Policy and Advocacy Director, Kentucky Youth Advocates
Panelists:
In Feeding Families, our panelists will address the drivers of food insecurity across the state, its impacts on child health and development, and how sound public policies can change the outlook for North Carolina’s children and families.
Moderated by: Dr. Eric Cunningham, Superintendent, Halifax County Schools
Panelists:
In The Future of Foster Care, panelists will highlight some of the current challenges within the foster care system and some of the innovative strategies community-serving organizations and DSS offices are deploying to improve outcomes for some of our state’s most vulnerable children.
Moderated by: Karen McLeod, President and CEO, Benchmarks
Panelists:
In Healthy Minds, Healthy Futures, our panelists will discuss innovative funding models and delivery systems, public policies, and other school-based interventions that can lead to more positive mental health outcomes for North Carolina youth.
Moderated by Tiffany Gladney, Senior Director of Policy and Government Relations, NC Child
Panelists:
In Holding Your Breath, panelists will discuss current trends around the use of vapes and nicotine and tobacco products, as well as strategies and policies we can implement to prevent vaping and improve health outcomes among North Carolina youth.
Moderated by: Peg O’Connell, Chair, Safe Kids North Carolina Steering Committee
Panelists:
Keeping Company will focus on outlining North Carolina’s youth and parent loneliness epidemic and share key findings from Harvard University’s Making Caring Common project.
Keeping Company is a generative session facilitated by Joe Waters, co-founder and CEO at Capita, and Dr. Elizabeth Erickson, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Duke University School of Medicine.
Learn more about accommodation, parking, and other key details you’ll need to know for when you join us at the Summit.
There is no predetermined room block for the State of the Child Summit, however the City of Raleigh boasts many different options for lodging and accommodations that you can choose from.
If you would like to stay in the heart of downtown Raleigh, we recommend:
If you would like to stay in Raleigh’s Midtown (10 minutes from downtown), we recommend:
The State of the Child Summit will include a light breakfast and a lunch buffet. Breakfast will include a selection of danish, muffins, and sliced fruit, in addition to regular and decaf coffee and hot tea. Gluten free breakfast options will be available.
Lunch is a Tex-Mex style buffet that includes the following:
If you are interested in sponsoring the 2025 State of the Child Summit, please contact NC Child Senior Director of Development and Operations Brad Beauregard at brad@ncchild.org.
