Today we’d like to introduce you to Channon Richardson.
Hi Channon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a Duluth native, and caring for others has always been at the heart of who I am. From a young age, I found joy in helping people through babysitting, volunteering, and serving others in a variety of ways. Throughout elementary school, I took on leadership roles that allowed me to support younger students, volunteered at a local nursing home, worked with individuals with disabilities, and spent countless hours working with children through coaching, teaching, mentoring, and childcare.
Today, I serve as the CEO of University Nursery Schools, Inc. in Duluth. Our organization operates five childcare centers and serves approximately 450 children, their families, and a team of 150 staff members. I am passionate about ensuring children, families, and educators have the support they need to thrive.
I have always been someone who says “yes” to opportunities to serve, often adding more to my plate than I probably should. In addition to my full-time role, I am a proud mother of three and actively advocate for childcare by working with elected officials, participating in the Parent Aware Ambassador Program, and collaborating with our licensing system to help identify both challenges and opportunities for improvement. I also serve on the Hermantown High School Girls Hockey Blue Line Club Board and have been involved with several other community and childcare-related boards throughout the years.
My husband serves in the military and has spent significant time away this year. Because of that, I am especially grateful for my incredible village of family, friends, and supporters who help our family navigate life’s many responsibilities while he is away. When my husband is home, I love that he’s my adventure partner, whether are enjoying the North Shore, traveling to far away places, or just doing our simple daily responsibilities.
I do have to say that the biggest thing about me and what guides me in my world is my three children. Even on the hardest of days, I find such joy in them, cheering them on, watching them grow, and being in awe of all of their many talents. I am happiest when I’m watching them during their activities. If you ask my youngest what my favorite season is, she would tell you “hockey season!” I can find myself consumed in responsibilities and they make sure that I still find the moments to enjoy life and remember that there are other things out there besides the many expectations that life places on us!
Above all, I believe in caring for people, building strong communities, and making a positive difference wherever I can.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Is there really such a thing as a smooth road? It certainly hasn’t been one for me, but I think everyone faces struggles in their own way.
I grew up in a complicated family environment (I’m sure most can say that!). I love my family deeply, but there was a great deal of substance abuse and many poor decisions that made life challenging. In some ways, those experiences helped shape who I became. I made the decision early on that I wanted a different path for myself and my children—to break the cycle, so to speak.
My mother passed away far too young, at just 58 years old, after facing serious health challenges related to cancer and long-term struggles with alcohol and smoking. Losing her was heartbreaking, and I often wish I had been able to have more time with her.
My father was not always nearby, and he did not have custody of me. Like many people, he faced struggles of his own and made decisions that were sometimes difficult for me to navigate. Despite those challenges, I have always loved him deeply and recognize that life is complicated. My parents were imperfect people doing the best they could with the tools and circumstances they had, and their experiences helped shape the person I became.
Professionally, one of the hardest challenges I faced was stepping into my leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our organization needed change, and although I had already been working within the company and understood the challenges ahead, I knew it would not be easy. Navigating constantly changing regulations, implementing necessary improvements, and learning an entirely new role all at the same time was incredibly demanding.
Those years tested me in ways I never expected. While I am far from perfect, I am incredibly proud of how far our organization has come. I am proud that we continue to prioritize what is best for children and families, and I am passionate about advocating for early childhood educators. Childcare professionals carry enormous responsibility, yet the field is often undervalued and underappreciated. Supporting and advocating for them has become one of the most meaningful parts of my work.
The challenges I’ve faced, both personally and professionally, have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of using difficult experiences to create positive change for others.
As you know, we’re big fans of University Nursery School. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
University Nursery Schools is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality early childhood education and care for children from six weeks through six years of age. For many years, we operated three locations in the Duluth area. In 2024, we expanded to five centers after stepping in to assume operations of two additional nonprofit childcare programs that were facing closure. With childcare in crisis, we knew our community could not afford to lose two more centers, and we were committed to ensuring that children and families continued to have access to quality care.
Our mission is to prepare children in our community for successful and fulfilling futures throughout their education and beyond. Each day, we strive to provide loving, high-quality, and developmentally appropriate early childhood experiences. We work to create environments that foster healthy relationships with oneself, others, and the world around us while supporting children’s cognitive, emotional, intellectual, social, and physical development.
One of the things that sets University Nursery Schools apart is our commitment to supporting and valuing our staff. We recognize that quality childcare begins with dedicated educators, and we have worked hard to improve and create a culture where employees feel appreciated and supported. This has been one of our major working points with our change in management during Covid. As a result, our staff turnover rate has decreased significantly. We have increased wages whenever possible while remaining mindful of the financial burden families already face in accessing childcare.
Beyond our own organization, we actively advocate with the State of Minnesota for additional resources, benefits, and compensation for early childhood professionals. While no workplace can be the perfect fit for everyone, we are committed to doing everything we can to support our staff, strengthen our profession, and provide exceptional care for the children and families we serve.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
No one succeeds alone, and I certainly haven’t. I have been fortunate to have many people who have supported, encouraged, and challenged me throughout my personal and professional journey.
First and foremost, I am so thankful for my partner in Business, Tracy. She has been there right along with me the entire time and we’ve worked so hard to make so many necessary changes in our company and I’m so thankful for her support, guidance, leadership, and help each and every day. I have an incredible leadership/management team and staff at University Nursery Schools. I am thankful for my management team day in and day out because there are so many wheels turning every second and we handle so much that it takes special people to be able to do that and do it well. The work we do would not be possible without the dedication, compassion, and hard work of our entire team- directors, teachers, and support staff. They show up every day for children and families, often in a profession that demands so much while receiving far too little recognition. Any success our organization has achieved belongs to all of us.
I have also been fortunate to learn from mentors and colleagues throughout my career who have shared their knowledge, offered guidance, and helped me grow as a leader. Their willingness to support me, answer questions, and provide honest feedback has been invaluable. I am especially thankful for leaders in childcare across MN that have come together as a community these last years, helping advocate for childcare, supporting each other, helping guide each other through this difficult field, leading in licensing changes, and more.
My family and friends have also played a tremendous role in my success. Especially during times when my husband is away (but really any time I need them), my village of family and friends has stepped in to help support our family and ensure that I could continue balancing my responsibilities both at home and at work.
Finally, I am grateful for the families we serve and the community partners who believe in our mission. Their trust, feedback, and support continue to inspire us to improve and advocate for the children and families in our community.
While I may hold the title of CEO, the success of University Nursery Schools is truly the result of many people working together toward a common goal. I am incredibly thankful for each person who has played a role in that journey.
Pricing:
- Infants $290/week full time
- Toddlers $265/week full time
- Preschool $250/week full time
- Preschool $54/day part time
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.universitynurseryschool.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063782310739
