Episode 27 - Mindy Binderman

In this episode of the Decal Download Podcast, Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs and Chief Communications Officer Reg Griffin welcome Mindy Binderman, the outgoing executive director of the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEARS), to reflect on her transformative 16-year tenure advocating for early childhood education in Georgia. Binderman shares the origins of GEARS, sparked by a landmark early learning commission and the urgent need to elevate birth-to-five care, which led to the creation of Georgia’s Quality Rated system and a powerful statewide advocacy movement. She highlights how the pandemic exposed systemic flaws in child care access and affordability, while also providing federal funding that allowed for critical innovations and proof points in the field. As she transitions to a new role as Chief External Affairs Officer at the Low Income Investment Fund (LIF), Binderman emphasizes her commitment to equity, community development, and national impact—while affirming her decision to remain in Atlanta to stay rooted in the Georgia community she’s helped shape. The conversation celebrates deep partnerships between GEARS and DECAL, the power of trust and data-driven advocacy, and the growing political will around early childhood policy, including expanded parental leave and investments in pre-K and home visiting programs.