Melissa Blotter, M.Ed.
HSE LIVE · Speaker spotlight

Melissa Blotter, M.Ed.

Founder, Directed Success
Leadership Development & Experience Design

1 breakout session Thursday, Sep 24, 2026 Staff Wellness Track
About the speaker

Translating everyday interactions into environments where staff and children can thrive

Melissa Blotter is the founder of Directed Success, a leadership development and experience design consultancy focused on building strong, connected teams in early childhood education. With over 20 years of experience in training and education, she has designed and led large-scale onboarding programs, leadership conferences, and professional learning experiences for educators and leaders across the country.

Melissa specializes in leadership development, team culture, communication, and retention — helping organizations translate everyday interactions into meaningful, lasting impact. Her facilitation style is interactive, reflective, and action-oriented, equipping participants with tools they can apply immediately in their programs.

A certified ATD Master Trainer with a Master of Education from Saint Joseph's University, Melissa has presented at multiple early childhood conferences and leadership events, including sessions focused on sustainable wellness, accountability, retention, mentoring, and the everyday moments that shape staff and child outcomes.

What Melissa is teaching

Regulated adults build resilient classrooms — here's how

A 90-minute interactive workshop on Thursday morning exploring how adult wellness and nervous system regulation directly shape classroom climate and child outcomes.

Sep 24 Thursday 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
🌿 Staff Wellness

Regulated Adults, Resilient Classrooms: Sustainable Wellness in Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start professionals pour deeply into children, families, and teams every day — but sustainable care requires regulated, supported adults. This interactive session moves beyond surface-level self-care and explores how adult wellness, nervous system regulation, and intentional recovery practices directly impact classroom climate, relationships, and resilience. Participants will reflect on the real pressures of this work, practice simple regulation strategies they can use in the moment, and identify practical ways to build wellness into daily routines, team culture, and leadership practices. Through discussion, reflection, and a take-away wellness planning activity, participants will leave with realistic strategies to support themselves, strengthen co-regulation with children, and create more resilient Head Start classrooms and programs.

Room Tuscarora · 50 cap
Format Interactive Workshop · 90 min
Slot Breakout Session 2
You'll leave able to
  1. Identify key signs of stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue in classroom settings.
  2. Explain how adult regulation directly impacts child behavior and development.
  3. Develop a realistic plan to support sustainable wellness within their classroom or program.
See Melissa live

Join us at HSE LIVE Syracuse

Join Melissa Blotter and a full slate of early childhood leaders at Turning Stone, September 23–25, 2026. Register at hsereg.org.

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