Kimberlee Burt Hendricks

Kimberlee Hendricks is a passionate and driven early childhood education professional. For over 21 years she was the owner of A Child's Space Early Learning  Center, “The happiest place to grow and learn!”. She currently manages mission based early childhood consultative services, events and research projects under the brand A Child's Space 2. Kimberlee is a published author and speaker who presents engaging workshops during both local and national conference engagements.

As the former Managing Director of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, she guided strategic initiatives in leadership development, policy, and practice with a strong focus on elevating family child care and strengthening early childhood systems nationally and globally. She also served as the Early Childhood Department Chair and launched the Competency Based Learning program sequence at National Louis University.  

A self proclaimed “Eduprenuer” Kimberlee is an advocate for early childhood education, leadership, play, parent engagement and the invaluable community based work of family child care professionals, where both her childhood experiences and professional career began!

An eternal Pre-K teacher at heart… Kimberlee has also served in children's ministry and as a Commissioner with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and spent a number of years with New York based Scholastic Book Publishing Company, where she served as an Early Childhood Training Consultant before becoming the Cook County Territory Sales Manager. In her role, she guided innovative marketing strategies and implementations of district level and school wide professional development and curriculum adoptions.

She attended Northern Illinois University as an undergraduate and is a proud graduate of Howard University in Washington DC where she earned a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She is currently completing an Ed.D in Curriculum, Advocacy and Policy. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children's Public Policy Committee and is a member of the Illinois Professional Development and Early Childhood Workforce Committee. She is a new member of Exchange Magazine's Leadership Initiative Council.

Above all, Kimberlee treasures her role as a wife and mommy to two little boys and a girl doggie named Paris...who together remind her daily that joy, play, and love are life’s most meaningful lessons.