About DirectorSuccessAcademy TM

Building leadership infrastructure for childcare organizations.

THE CHALLENGE

Childcare organizations rely heavily on strong leadership, yet most directors step into their roles without structured leadership preparation.

As organizations grow across multiple locations, maintaining consistent expectations for leadership, decision-making, and accountability becomes increasingly difficult.

Director Success Academy™ was created to strengthen leadership capacity inside childcare organizations through structured credentialing, leadership development, and operational alignment.

OUR INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

✔ Training thousands of childcare directors
✔ Developing leadership credentialing programs
✔ Supporting multi-site childcare organizations
✔ Partnering with workforce initiatives and early childhood systems

Our Story

Founded by Carrie Casey and Kate Woodward Young, M.Ed., Director Success Academy was born out of a shared passion for accessible, high-quality leadership training in early childhood education. With a combined 60 years of experience, Kate and Carrie recognized the need for flexible, practical training that fits the busy lives of childcare professionals. In 2005, they pioneered the first online Director Credential program, breaking barriers to make quality training more accessible nationwide.

Kate Woodward Young

Co-Founder

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Carrie Casey

Co-Founder

ORGANIZATIONS WE HAVE SUPPORTED

Our leadership development initiatives have supported organizations including:

  • YMCA of Central Texas

  • Stepping Stone Schools

  • Extend-A-Care for Kids

  • Primrose franchise (4 locations)

  • City of San Antonio – PreK4SA Consortium

  • Workforce Solutions Capital Area

  • Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area

  • Workforce Solutions Cameron County

  • TCS Schools

  • Starlight Learning Academy

The Childcare Leadership Infrastructure Framework™

Director Success Academy™ is built around the Childcare Leadership Infrastructure Framework™, a structured model designed to strengthen leadership across childcare organizations.

This framework helps organizations:

• clarify leadership roles
• strengthen decision-making systems
• create consistent expectations across locations
• build leadership capacity as organizations grow

Why Choose Director Success Academy?

  • Pioneers in Online Training – First weekend and online Director Credential programs in the U.S.

  • Proven Success – Over 70% of our graduates stay in early childhood education for more than three years.

  • Comprehensive Learning Resources – Courses enriched with videos, podcasts, and expert insights.

  • National Impact – Over 6,000 directors trained in leadership, HR, marketing, and finance.

Providing trusted course materials for Childcare Directors and Administrators in the US.

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