Jamie Bonczyk

Program Officer, 80×3

Inspiration: There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” – Desmond Tutu

What working in this community means to me: “To me, working in this community is an opportunity to experience the realities and hear the stories of children, families and those who care for them. This grounds me in my work.”

Jamie oversees “80×3: Resilient from the Start” — an innovative region-wide initiative to increase capacity to support parenting skills and provide trauma-sensitive early child care in a safe, stable environment that supports child resiliency.

Jamie Bonczyk is a leader in early childhood education who strives to create social-impact networks, change initiatives and partnerships that create sustainable health and education outcomes for children, families and educators. Her background includes the roles of executive director of an early learning non-profit, Head Start administrator, adjunct instructor, author, professional development content creator, and preschool teacher. Jamie has a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a master’s degree from Roosevelt University, both in early childhood education. She completed a Head Start Management Fellowship at UCLA and became a Certified Professional Project Manager through the University of St Thomas.

Jamie and her family call Richfield home. They love to play games, travel, and play with their dog. A natural storyteller with a love of humor, Jamie can occasionally be found on the stage of Strike Theater. For self-care, Jamie has regular Pilates and meditation practices.