Rochelle Wilcox

Rochelle Wilcox has been an early childhood education professional for over 23 years. Her advocacy for early learning started in the classroom as a teacher and led her to her current position as the CEO/Executive Director of the Wilcox's Academy of Early Learning, Wilcox's Academy Too and Wilcox Academy Central City Wilcox Academy. She comes super-charged with an educational background including an Associates of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Education in Urban Society concentration.

She was the first early learning center provider to sit on the Board of Agenda for Children, she currently sit on the boards of The Children’s Funding Accelerator CFA and Drexel Prep Foundation DPF. She also sits the steering committees of the New Orleans Grade Level Reading Campaign NOLAGLR ,The New Orleans Early Education Network  NOEEN  and she is the co-chair of Geaux far Louisiana GeauxFar.  In 2021, she co-founded For Providers by Providers 4PXPLA a non-profit that champions Louisiana’s Type III predominantly BIPOC and Woman led early learning centers (ELC that accepts public funding) by enhancing the quality of ELC through policy advocacy, professional development, networking and wealth building.

She is the 2023 recipient of the Inaugural Early Childhood Leader of the Year award bestowed by Dream teachers and the Louisiana Department of Education. Over her career she has served over 2000 children, families and ECE providers however, she notes her highest honor is being a wife and a mother to 3 sons. 

Her Philosophy: I believe that the child who is loved has the confidence to love others, the child who learns to love learning will thirst for knowledge and the child who has been loved and educated will lead his peers and the world. 

Her favorite quote: The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. -Alice Walker