• MS Early Childhood Special Education and Infant Intervention University of Miami (Coral Gables FL)
• Certified CLASS Reliable Observer and Affiliate Trainer (Teachstone, University of VA)
• RD Completed Dietetic Internship Cook County Hospital (Chicago IL) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• BS Nutrition Services Cornell University (Ithaca NY)
• Licensed Food Sanitation Technician (Citywide Colleges, Chicago, IL)
• AAS Food Service Technology

Paula Mydlenski, MS, RDN, CDN, is a nationally acclaimed speaker and writer, whose particular expertise is making technical training topics “come alive!” for adult learners-and always with a focus on the “Heart of Head Start”—our families/nuestras familias!

With a M.S. is in Early Childhood Special Education/Infant Intervention from the University of Miami, B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University, and an AAS from Villa Maria College in Buffalo, she completed her Dietetic Internship at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital, upon which the famous television series ER is based.

A CLASS Teachstone affiliate trainer, Paula is both an Infant and Preschool CLASS-reliable observer, as well as a QCIT certified observer, an I Am Moving, I Am Learning/IMIL Facilitator, and a certified Cavity-Free Kids trainer. She is an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics registered dietitian, licensed in New York State, and a member of the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Paula is a WestED Program for Infant & Toddler Caregiver, Modules I-IV certified trainer, and has certificates in Infant Mental Health, Partners for a Healthy Baby Prenatal Home Visiting curriculum, and in Administering the Ages & Stages Social & Emotional Questionnaire.

A manuscript reviewer for Pediatric Nursing magazine, she is a member of the Academy of Sciences Expert Panel on Pediatric Obesity. Paula has an extensive history of having been a content review team member for Federal Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Federal Program Reviews across the country and in the Caribbean. Grateful for opportunities to provide program assistance in both English and Spanish, Paula is honored to have worked for more than 38 years with Head Start and Early Head Start. Formerly employed by the Puerto-Rico-Virgin Islands, as well as the Region IV Head Start Technical Assistance Centers, TTAS, WKU, she has returned to TTAS after an eight year love affair working with her beloved Migrant & Seasonal Head Start programs in Region XII.

From Data Analysis, Comprehensive Health, Nutrition, Health Literacy, Mental & Dental Health, Robust Teacher-Child Interactions, and IMIL, to Addressing Challenging Behaviors, Active Supervision, and Responsive Infant Practices, Paula really looks forward to making these and other topics “come alive” and translate to positive outcomes for you and your staff!