Our Team

Paula Neal, Hilltop Partnership Director

Paula Neal has served as the Hilltop Partnership Director at Columbus Early Learning Centers since April 2022. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development from The Ohio State University. Paula has worked in the nonprofit field in central Ohio for over 27 years in both teaching and leadership roles.

As the Hilltop Partnership Director for the Hilltop Early Learning Center, Paula is responsible for identifying, negotiating, and implementing new strategic partnerships that fit a team whose uniform practices are rooted in respect for young children's rights to a healthy, safe, educational, and social-emotional learning environment. She builds community and family trust in the center by hosting building partnership meetings to discuss,  plan, celebrate accomplishments, and resolve programming and/or building challenges. She supports and works closely with partners to monitor the partnership goals in children's performance success. She opens the center's doors to the community to participate in family engagement events and to access resources and supports to help families thrive, regardless of if their child is currently enrolled at the Hilltop Early Learning Center.

The Hilltop Early Learning Center is funded by the City of Columbus. For questions on funding, contact the Office of Education at (614) 645-1688.