Early Childhood Grand Rounds on Data Privacy

Data Privacy in Vermont’s Early Childhood Systems: Competing Priorities, Real-World Tradeoffs

To improve outcomes for Vermont’s children and families, we need good data—linked across programs, capable of telling us what’s working and for whom. We also need to protect the families whose information we collect, especially as concerns grow about the ethical use of data and the impacts on vulnerable populations’ use of services they need.

These goals are both real, and they are in tension. Join us for a Vermont-focused roundtable that takes an honest look at the tradeoffs—and what it means to pursue both better data linkage and use and stronger privacy protections as Vermont works to modernize its data infrastructure.

This online session features leading Vermont voices on data privacy legislation and state data systems:

• Monique Priestly, Vermont Representative for Orange-2 District and Vice Chair of the House Joint Information Technology Oversight Committee
• Julie Lowell, Economic Security Policy and Outreach Director, Public Assets Institute
• Denise Reilly-Hughes, Secretary, Agency of Digital Services

View panelists’ bios

This event is presented in conjunction with the 2026 policy recommendation from Vermont’s Early Childhood State Advisory Council Network to protect Vermonters’ data, as well as Vermont’s Early Childhood Strategic Plan goals for data systems that are agile, compatible, equitable, and secure.

The Early Childhood Grand Rounds webinar series offers a platform to share and elevate high-quality data and insights on topics impacting Vermont’s early childhood system, alongside national best practices. Hosted by Building Bright Futures, these webinars support data-driven decision-making and policy development by bringing together key early childhood partners and experts.