UUCUC welcomes Natalie Danner. as our new Sunday Coordinator for Children’s RE&E. Natalie brings a wealth of experience in the early childhood education realm and a focused interest on the inclusion and engagement of all children.

Natalie assumed her role as Sunday Coordinator for Children’s RE&E on Sunday, August 21, 2022.

Natalie Danner (she/her/hers) is the Sunday Coordinator for Religious Exploration and Engagement (REE). Her role at UUCUC includes welcoming families to REE, coordinating volunteer teachers, preparing environments, REE curriculum, and materials for the children, and serving as a floating teacher when needed. Natalie is happy to support the mission and vision of the congregation through supportive programs for children and families.

Natalie has a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Special Education and a focused interest on the inclusion and engagement of all children. Natalie is originally from New York and was an early childhood educator (PreK and Kindergarten), specializing in the Montessori approach, and school leader for ten years in New York and Arizona. After gaining her Ph.D., she worked as a higher ed faculty member teaching teachers in Oregon and Nebraska. Currently, her full-time job is serving families and educators across the state of Illinois as the Early Childhood Content and Engagement Coordinator at the Illinois Early Learning Project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She lives in Urbana with her sweet dog, Luna, and in her free time enjoys dog training and gardening with perennials.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Natalie at sundayree(at)uucuc.org