Leadership
Sisters Rochelle Bea & Shirla Lomax founded Beginning Futures Learning Center in 2008 and oversee the day-to-day operations. Shirla, expecting a new addition to her family, struggled to find high-quality, affordable childcare. Rochelle, working in social work, wanted to strengthen families with more unified engagement. Together, their experience ignited the vision to open a facility that provides a safe haven within their own community offering affordable, consistent childcare and educational services.
Rochelle Bea is primarily responsible and accountable for the overall health and financial management of the organization. Rochelle earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Child Development. She is responsible for seeking and securing grant funds, and compliance in relation to State Licensing and Accreditation. Rochelle’s oversight of three (3) facility expansions under her leadership has generated additional revenue during each phase. She has engaged the program in multiple community partnerships from ARCH’S, Missouri Preschool Project, STL Pre-K Cooperative, Urban League Head Start, WePower and a host of other community collaborations. Rochelle was the recipient of the 2013 Entrepreneur Momentum Award, Board Power Secretary of Justine Petersen Housing & Reinvestment Corporation, and serves as a Fellow with WePower and Tory Burch. She currently earned memberships with the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC, Saint Louis Women Leader and National Head Start Association.
Shirla Lomax contributes administratively to Beginning Futures, ensuring compliance for our Early Head Start/Head Start programs under the supervision of Urban League of St. Louis. Shirla is a Master Educator with 11 years of Early Childhood experience with expertise in nurturing young children. Shirla worked under great leadership while obtaining her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education, which afforded her the opportunity to have hands-on involvement in a prodigious learning environment at St. Louis Community College. Shirla also holds a Bachelor of Science in Child Development. Shirla steers Family Engagement by educating parents on techniques to be active participants in their children's education and she finds joy bridging home and school. Shirla is a 27th Ward Committee Member and serves on the Koinonia (hospitality) committee at her local church. She currently is a member of the National Black Child Development Institute, National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC, and National Head Start Association. Shirla was also the recipient of the 2011 Business Of The Year Award.
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