C-Speak: The Language of Executives - Boston nonprofit leaders Sandra McCroom and Ben Hires on early childhood education and why it’s critical to a strong community

Boston nonprofit leaders Sandra McCroom and Ben Hires on early childhood education and why it’s critical to a strong community

05/15/25 • 39 min

Early childhood educators are making a big impact on the Boston community. Their work affects not only the local economy, but even more importantly, the course of a child’s future.

“If we invest and pour into our children — not as the proverbial babysitters, but as educators at the earliest of ages — that will absolutely change the trajectory of a child's life,” said Sandra McCroom, president and CEO of Children's Services of Roxbury (CSR), one of the largest Black-led nonprofits in Massachusetts.
In this episode of PNC C-Speak: The Language of Executives, McCroom and Ben Hires, CEO of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, discuss early education, the importance of trauma-informed care and their visions for the future of their communities.
This episode is the latest segment in a C-Speak miniseries exploring the relationship between early childhood and the economy. Tune in to learn more about:

The importance of investing in early childhood education (11:40)
Opportunities for growth within the early childhood education sector (14:21)
What business leaders need to know about early education (24:34)
Trauma-informed care, and why it’s critical in early education (21:05)
How McCroom and Hires stay energized while managing a demand career (29:08)

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Early childhood educators are making a big impact on the Boston community. Their work affects not only the local economy, but even more importantly, the course of a child’s future.

The importance of investing in early childhood education (11:40)
Opportunities for growth within the early childhood education sector (14:21)
What business leaders need to know about early education (24:34)
Trauma-informed care, and why it’s critical in early education (21:05)
How McCroom and Hires stay energized while managing a demand career (29:08)

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Previous Episode

John Lee, CEO of MKS Instruments Inc., on the impact of innovation and inclusion on the tech company’s culture

“If you don’t innovate,” says John Lee, “you can't invent the products people use.”
In this episode of the PNC C-Speak podcast, Lee, president and CEO of MKS Instruments Inc., shares the origin story and trajectory of the nearly 60-year-old tech enterprise. Based in Massachusetts, the company supports the advanced electronics industry.
Innovation is only half of the secret sauce for MKS Instruments. The other prime ingredient, according to Lee, is inclusion.
“I’ve spent a lot of time making sure everyone in the company – no matter where you are, which country you're in, what your political beliefs are or any other beliefs you have within the walls of MKS – will be included. We will respect each other and you will be welcomed.”
Tune in to this episode of the PNC C-Speak podcast to learn more about:

Crisis lessons Lee learned during the Covid-19 pandemic (3:40)
The components of team dynamics (8:29)
Which major sporting event is on his bucket list (19:33)

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undefined - How businesses can support and retain working caregivers, according to Brooke Thomson of Associated Industries of Massachusetts and Sadie Funk of The Best Place for Working Parents

How businesses can support and retain working caregivers, according to Brooke Thomson of Associated Industries of Massachusetts and Sadie Funk of The Best Place for Working Parents

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Nearly 75% of employees in the U.S. have caregiving responsibilities outside of work, and more than two-thirds of children age 6 and under have two parents who work, which underscores the importance of supporting parents in the labor force.

“We took this data and thought, ‘What if there’s an opportunity to really focus in on the internal policies that these businesses have,’” said Sadie Funk, national director and co-founder, The Best Place for Working Parents. “Could we build a multi-pronged solution that really allows these businesses and supports these businesses to attract and retain their top talent?”

In this episode of PNC C-Speak: The Language of Executives, Funk joins Brooke Thomson, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), to talk about the innovative ways businesses are supporting their working caregivers. The two organizations partnered to bring the Best Place for Working Parents designation to Massachusetts in 2022.

This episode is the latest segment in a C-Speak miniseries exploring the relationship between early childhood and the economy. Tune in to learn more about:

How Massachusetts is leading the way in implementing family-friendly policies (9:40)
Where businesses stand on flexible work arrangements and remote work (14:49)
Low- to no-cost solutions for working caregivers, including accessing the Best Place for Working Parents Toolkit (20:49)
Why Massachusetts was named the No. 1 state for women by Wallethub (26:42)
How Thomson has handled parenting challenges (39:10)

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