"Being a parent is about learning about the strengths you didn't know you had... and dealing with the fears you didn't know existed."
-unknown

The Lotus family is comprised of parents who represent the symbolic meaning of the lotus flower. Families who have uplifted themselves after years of abuse, trauma, and hardship. A group of men and women who have come from being in the mud and murky waters of life but fought with refusal not to allow their backgrounds and family histories to affect the lives and development of their children.

At the Lotus Family Support and Education Center, we are dedicated to becoming a village for you and your family. Our Mission is to build stronger, more connected families and communities through education, advocacy, and support. We strive to provide families with the confidence and support they need to make informed decisions about their lives and the lives and education of their children. We believe that nurturing the whole child through whole family support and education is the cornerstone to improving the quality of life and education for children, families and communities.

Our team includes Jai certified parent coaches, DONA trained doulas, and First Aid and CPR instructors, all dedicated to empowering families and fostering resilience and growth.

"A great beginning can make a positive difference in a child's life. "
_D. EL

Desiree El, MSEd - Chief Family Services Officer (CFSO) & Co-Founder

Desiree El is the Chief Family Services Officer (CFSO) and Co-Founder of Lotus Family Education & Support Center, where she leads family-centered programming focused on early learning, parent education, and holistic family support. She is also a certified public school teacher, instructional coach, curriculum specialist, and early childhood educator with 33 years of experience supporting children, families, and educators across early childhood and K–4 settings.

Desiree holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Special Education and a Master’s degree in Child Development and Administration. Throughout her career, she has served as a family child care provider, master teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum specialist, mentoring educators and supporting the implementation of inclusive, culturally responsive practices. Her work centers on strengthening family engagement, building educator capacity, and ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all children.

Her professional journey is deeply rooted in lived experience. As the mother of a child with hearing disabilities, Desiree began her career serving children with disabilities and their families as a family child care provider. This experience shaped her lifelong commitment to inclusive education, family empowerment, and early intervention. She believes that strong outcomes for children begin with informed, confident, and supported families.

In addition to her work in education, Desiree is a perinatal doula, childbirth educator, and parent educator, supporting families from pregnancy through early childhood. Her approach emphasizes early advocacy, relationship-building, and providing families with the tools they need to make informed decisions that positively impact their children’s social-emotional and cognitive development.

Desiree is the creator of The Kozy Knapper™, an innovative nap mat designed to support children’s fine motor development, self-help skills, and sensory processing, while promoting independence, comfort, and regulation in early learning environments.

Through her leadership at Lotus Family Education & Support Center, Desiree is committed to building equitable, culturally responsive systems that uplift children, empower families, and strengthen communities from the outset.

"Time spent playing with a child is never time wasted”
_T. Crawford

Tovia Crawford - Chief Program Officer (CPO) & Co-Founder

Tovia Crawford is the Chief Program Officer (CPO) and Co-Founder of Lotus Family Education & Support Center. She is an Early Childhood and Parent Educator, Perinatal Doula, and Certified Play Therapist with a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education.

Tovia’s career in early childhood education began in 2001 with the opening of Expanding Minds Family Child Care Home. As a young mother navigating both joyful and challenging experiences, she felt called to support and advocate for families whose journeys mirrored her own. Through this work, she witnessed firsthand the powerful role that strong, consistent support systems play in the healthy development of children and families. This understanding continues to guide her professional practice.

Expanding Minds grew beyond a child care program and evolved into a family resource and support center. Families were provided access to computers for job applications, resume development, and educational coursework. The space also served as a gathering place for Parent Engagement Parties, which Tovia designed and facilitated to strengthen family relationships, community connections, and shared learning.

Over the past 20+ years, Tovia has supported 10+ births and provided consultation to countless families and early childhood professionals. Her expertise spans lactation support, child development, communication, and learning-through-play, with a consistent focus on empowering families and fostering healthy development from pregnancy through early childhood.

In her role as Chief Program Officer, Tovia leads program design, implementation, and quality assurance across Lotus Family Education & Support Center’s family-centered initiatives. Her work is grounded in relationship-building, trauma-informed care, and developmentally appropriate practice that honors the whole child and the whole family.

"There is not a healthy society without education, there is no education without family support, there is no family support without genuine love”
_J. Rivera

Jessica Courtney-Rivera - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Co-Founder

Jessica Courtney-Rivera is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Lotus Family Education & Support Center, a Philadelphia-based organization dedicated to high-quality early childhood education and comprehensive family support services. She also co-founded Lotus Family Education Center, a Star 4 family child care program serving children and families in Philadelphia, PA.

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Early Childhood Education and brings over 15 years of experience working directly with children and families in early learning settings. She is a PA Keys Quality Assurance System (PQAS) certified instructor, providing professional development to educators across Pennsylvania, and a certified parent coach. Her work centers on strengthening respectful, meaningful partnerships between families and programs to support children’s learning, development, and long-term success.

Lotus Family Education Center operates under a broader umbrella of family support services that include parent education, family support programming, and perinatal doula services. In her role as CEO, Jessica leads organizational vision and strategy while overseeing program development, operations, budgeting, grant strategy, communications, branding, and community partnerships. She is also deeply involved in curriculum design, event planning, and the expansion of early childhood and family-centered programming.

Jessica’s passion for family engagement is deeply personal. She grew up in a family child care home, where her mother unknowingly modeled a family-centered approach to early education. This experience continues to shape Jessica’s work today. Her leadership is grounded in compassion, authenticity, and a strong belief in whole-child, whole-family care. Through Lotus Family Education & Support Center, Jessica is committed to building equitable, culturally responsive systems that uplift children, empower families, and strengthen communities.

Lotus Family Network

"Being a parent is about learning about the strengths you didn't know you had... and dealing with the fears you didn't know existed." -unknown