Announcing GCCA’s New President-Elect: Michelle Smith Lank
The Georgia Child Care Association (GCCA) is proud to announce that Michelle Smith Lank, Owner/Director of Kids World Learning Center in Statesboro, has been named President-Elect of the GCCA Board of Directors.
Michelle brings decades of leadership, innovation, and advocacy to this role. As the owner of Kids World Learning Center—serving over 200 children and families—she has led with a commitment to quality, equity, and impact. Under her guidance, Kids World became the first child care center in Georgia to achieve Quality Rated status in 2012 and continues to serve as a Quality Rated Inclusion site, a Governor’s Language and Literacy Endorsed program, a Pre-K tour site, and is NAEYC-accredited.
Michelle is also a respected Quality Rated Peer Support Network Ambassador and State PSN Ambassador, providing mentorship and peer guidance across Georgia’s early childhood education landscape.
A longtime voice in Georgia’s ECE community, Michelle previously served as GCCA President from 2013 to 2015, where she worked closely with DECAL leadership to strengthen statewide provider engagement in the Quality Rated system. Her advocacy continues at the state level, where she has served on Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet—first appointed by Lady Deal in 2018 and continuing under the leadership of Lady Kemp.
Michelle’s deep commitment to early care and education is also a family affair—her children, Jasmyn and Jamel, both work in the industry and support the mission of Kids World Learning Center.
We are thrilled to welcome Michelle back into a leadership role with GCCA and look forward to the insight, experience, and passion she will bring as President-Elect.
Please join us in congratulating Michelle on this exciting new chapter!
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