Dr. Michael Olenick has been the President and CEO for the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) since 2004 and is Chair of the Committee of the Board of ZERO TO THREE.
Contributions to the Field
Michael Olenick oversees all programs, projects, and services provided to over 50,000 children and families each month in a service area spanning 22,500 square miles. During his tenure he has grown the organization from $89 million to $225 million and the staff from 300 to 800. For more than three decades, Michael has served on numerous boards and committees at the county, state and national level. Prior to coming to CCRC, Michael served as Senior Vice President of the California Community College Foundation where he developed and administered child, youth and family development education programs especially focusing on child welfare and emancipating foster youth. He also served as the Chief of Emancipation Services for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (LADCFS).
He obtained a master’s degree from the Erikson Institute. After receiving his master’s degree, Michael taught for several years at the Chicago Child Care Society in Hyde Park, Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in Education from UCLA after his dissertation, “The Relationship between Child Care Quality and Selected Social Policy Variables.” He also taught child care policy at the university level and served as public policy instructor for the California Association for the Education of Young Children Leadership Program.
Affiliations
- Past President of Child Care Aware of America
- Past President and current Public Policy Chair of the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network (CCRRN)
- Vice President and Public Policy Chair for the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles
Honors
- California Youth Connection with their Legend award
- The Child Development Institute with Their Heart Of Gold Award
- The Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce with their Community Award of Excellence
- Appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the California State Commission on Early Learning and Care
- Appointed by California Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon to the Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education
