Join us March 6-7, 2025 at the Denver Marriott Tech Center with virtual content to follow.

Denver's Early Childhood Council is excited to once again host the 2025 Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference.

The conference is going to be full of great sessions, time for connection and learning, and some new surprises. We look forward to gathering with ECE professionals from across the region and beyond to learn together.

Meet the Keynote Speakers!

Thursday, March 6

Lisa Murphy
Ooey Gooey, Inc.

After spontaneously facilitating a workshop for about 700 people at a national convention in November of 1996 because the scheduled presenter didn’t show up, Lisa graciously received a standing ovation and honestly thought to herself, "If they got this excited over something I made up, what if I actually planned something???"

And that is how Ooey Gooey, Inc. (originally The Learning Through Adventure Company) was born. Formally organized in 1997 our original objective was to bring passionate workshops to the early childhood educational community. Our mission has since evolved to include not only the delivering of workshops, but getting relevant resources into the hands of people who need them and creating connections between people in the industry, whether online or in person.

Raelene Ostberg
Thriving Together

Raelene brings boundless energy, extensive expertise, years of experience in early childhood classrooms, and wonderful real-life stories that show the tangible strategies in action! Raelene Ostberg is the Founder of Thriving Together, an organization dedicated to supporting early childhood educators in their critical work shaping young minds. She has worked for over ten years to deliver transformative learning experiences that are entertaining, fun, engaging, and inspiring. Raelene is a full-time Keynote Speaker, Achieve/MNCPD Expert Trainer, New York State Training and Technical Assistant Professional, Curriculum Designer, and Trainer Mentor/Observer/Educator. Raelene obtained her B.A. in Theater and M.Ed. in Family Education from the University of Minnesota. Since 2012, Raelene has completed training and education on stress and resiliency through Mayo Clinic’s Stress-Free Living Program.