Advocate Spotlight: Leanna Lorden

With over 15 years of experience in early and elementary education, Leanna Lorden is a passionate advocate for young children, moms, and families in New Hampshire.

Leanna is the Chief Operating Officer at White Birch Center, a nonprofit organization and child care facility in Henniker. She first connected with New Futures in 2022 from her involvement with a regional collaborative, where she learned about New Futures and the work we do around child care policy. This year, Leanna expanded her knowledge and utilization of New Futures as a resource when Community Engagement Coordinator Lauren reached out to the White Birch Center as a supportive partner.

Since then, Leanna has continued to be involved in advocacy, writing an op-ed in the Concord Monitor calling lawmakers to invest in child care for New Hampshire families, inviting legislators to visit the child care center where she works, and being featured in a Concord Monitor article about the child care crisis. Children from her center also provided artwork featured in New Futures’ mural in Eagle Square! The mural calls Granite Staters to advocate for positive early childhood policy in New Hampshire.

Leanna’s favorite advocacy memory involves traveling to Washington, D.C. in 2023 for the annual NAEYC Public Policy Forum. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) brings together early childhood educators and stakeholders for this annual event to strengthen advocacy skills and support young children and the early childhood education through a nonpartisan agenda. Leanna found the experience to be incredibly moving – it allowed her to connect and learn from other early childhood professionals and further develop her advocacy skills. She left the forum with a far more comprehensive understanding of the work being done across the country for our youngest learners and felt better prepared to expand the work at White Birch Center and throughout the state.

Leanna is a shining light in our state. Earlier this year, she was recognized on several accounts - as a Concord Monitor Hometown Hero recipient, a Union Leader Forty Under Forty recipient, and the American Mothers Inc.’s 2024 New Hampshire Mother of the Year. Her advocacy is making a profound impact on the lives of Granite State children and families.

“You are your own best advocate,” Leanna states. “It all starts with believing in yourself, being patient, and learning how to genuinely connect with others. Once that occurs, you’ll be able to stand up for yourself, push past boundaries and make an impact.”

Thank you, Leanna, for advocating for a brighter future for New Hampshire children and families!

Are you interested in becoming an advocate? Click here to sign up!