From Story to Statue: Bipartisan Strategies for NICU & PICU Paid Leave Advocacy

May 20, 2026
11:00am - 12:00pm CST

This session will equip paid leave, early childhood, and parent advocates with practical tips and insights to add NICU /PICU leave to their policy and advocacy efforts. Join us to learn how this emerging policy can bring in new voices and champions, strengthen paid leave campaigns, and build momentum for further paid leave work. We will highlight the unique paid leave needs of NICU families and share how the NICU Parent Network has successfully engaged parents – and bipartisan legislators – to advocate for policy change.

Co-Hosts:

* Jacy Montoya Price, Senior Director of Advocacy and Issue Campaigns, Alliance for Early Success

* Raquel Bueno-Morales, National Senior Advocacy Consultant, National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers (NCIT)

Featured speakers:

* Gabrielle Wynn, Staff Attorney at A Better Balance

* Keira Sorrels, Founder & Executive Director of the NICU Parent Network

* Jennifer Stout, Early Childhood Education Policy Analyst, Voices for Utah Children