Item:
Title
Introduction of the New Durham County Early Childhood Coordinator Ileana Vink (10min)
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: November 10, 2025
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to meet and recognize Ileana Vink, the new County Early Childhood Coordinator. Based in Cooperative Extension, she is responsible for strengthening County and community-wide efforts around Early Childhood initiatives and practices in Durham County. The Coordinator provides leadership for Durham County’s involvement in the Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP) and the County’s work and investment in Durham PreK, among other initiatives.
Ileana Vink previously worked for DINE (Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education) at the Durham County Department of Public Health as the Early Care and Education Coordinator. In that role she taught nutrition education at childcare programs serving families with low incomes, worked with Farm to Early Care and Education initiatives, and supported school gardens. She understands and values data-driven and evidence-based approaches, such as collaborating with preschool directors and teachers to use evidence-based tools to assess their nutrition and physical activity environments, set goals, and make changes, and contributing data to a variety of public reports.
Prior to DINE, Ileana worked in outpatient clinical nutrition at Duke Health where she made home visits with Medicaid patients. She continues to provide medical nutrition therapy as a volunteer at Samaritan Health Center. She completed her MPH in Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BA in Political Science from Boston University. She is currently on the Board of Directors for Durham’s Partnership for Children. Ileana is passionate about early learning, emotional well-being, and food access.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: The item aligns with multiple areas of the County’s strategic plan, including Empowered Community and Healthy and Inclusive Community.
Resource Persons: Donna Rewalt, County Extension Director and Ileana Vink, County Early Childhood Coordinator
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board meet and recognize Ileana Vink, the New Durham County Early Childhood Coordinator.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________