ANNOUNCING 2026 AWARD WINNERS

The Alaska Association of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (AK-AIMH) seeks input from members to make enthusiastic nominations for our annual awards! Through these awards, AK-AIMH seeks to celebrate individuals in our field who demonstrate significant commitment to AK-AIMH's mission through their professional and volunteer activities.

LEADERSHIP AWARD

CHAMPION: Marita Bailey, LPC, ECMH-E®, ERS®
Marita is a distinguished, AK-AIMH endorsed Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist ®. She has a rich legacy of advocating for and providing infant and early childhood services and is a recognized leader in reflective supervision/consultation. Currently pursuing her PhD, Marita is advancing her focus on much-needed macro-level policy and advocacy in infant and early childhood mental health.

"thread" is Alaska’s Child Care Resource & Referral organization, working to advance the quality of early education and child development by empowering parents, educating child care professionals, and collaborating with our communities. Over the past few years, thread has developed the Alaska Relationship-Based Professional Development (RBPD) Specialist Credential (offered through thread), which certifies professionals who provide coaching, consultation, and technical assistance to early childhood educators using relationship-based approaches. Central to RBPD is the establishment of strong, trust-based relationships between coaches and educators. These relationships are foundational, ensuring that professional development is a collaborative and supportive process.