AEYC-SEA Honors Joy Lyon for 25 Years of Service

August 27, 2021

Please join thread in congratulating Joy in her retirement, and for her passion, energy, advocacy, and dedication to early childhood education. Also join us in also welcoming Blue Shibler as incoming Executive Director of AEYC-SEA!


Republished with permission by AEYC-SEA’s board of directors

The Association for the Education of Young Children- Southeast Alaska (AEYC-SEA) would like to recognize and thank our Executive Director Joy Lyon for 25 years of dedicated service to the families, educators and children of Southeast Alaska. As Ms. Lyon prepares for her well-earned retirement, the Board would like to express its gratitude for her leadership in growing our organization, as well as her enthusiasm, passion and advocacy for the advancement of high-quality early learning for all young children throughout our communities.

“Over the past 25 years, Joy has led the growth of AEYC from a small group of early educators into a high-performing staffed office, providing a powerful voice for young children,” says AEYC Board Chair Lori Hoover. “Thanks to Joy’s skilled grant writing and creation of a culture of advocacy, AEYC is well positioned to continue its growth in the field of early child education.”

The AEYC Board is also proud to introduce Blue Shibler as incoming Executive Director. Ms. Shibler currently serves as AEYC’s Human Resources and Special Projects Manager. A Business Administration graduate of the University of Alaska-Southeast, Ms. Shibler is a well-respected early childhood educator and advocate. A former Assistant Director at Juneau Montessori School, Ms Shibler founded the Discovery Preschool as well as served on the City and Borough of Juneau Child Care Task Force. 

“We could not have found a more passionate and experienced leader to take AEYC into the future,” says Board Chair Hoover. “Blue is a past Board Chair of AEYC and has advocated for children, parents and teachers every day of her exceptional career.” Ms. Shibler will begin in her new role on Sept. 1.

Ms. Lori Hoover
President, AEYC-SEA Board of Directors

The Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), has been serving early educators, families, and community members since 1982. AEYC promotes high-quality learning for all children, birth through age 8, by supporting all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.