UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / Marquis Who's Who honors Amanda O. Morton as a Top Professional Woman for her extensive contributions in early childhood education. Currently serving as the executive director of Cradlerock Children's Center, she has challenged how her county views early childhood education for nearly two decades. As she continues in this work, she is creating a new model of nonprofit child care.

Early Education and Entrepreneurship

After graduating from high school in southern England, Ms. Morton pursued a bachelor's degree in business management and accounting at Brighton Metropolitan College, which she earned in 1986. Building from this foundation, she entered the realm of entrepreneurship.

In her early career, Ms. Morton focused on business startups that served the community. These included a full-service laundromat, a convenience store, as well as multiple cafes and restaurants. She later became the owner of a child care center and hired a team of qualified staff, sparking a new career direction.

In 2006, Ms. Morton moved to the United States. While waiting for her work visa to clear, she volunteered at Cradlerock Children's Center, relying on her previous experience to aid her in the role. After her visa was cleared, she became a full-time employee and, from 2007 to 2015, progressed from assistant teacher to executive director.

Building a New Model in Affordable Child Care

For the past decade, Ms. Morton has been responsible for designing and implementing systems and policies in order to optimize Cradlerock Children's Center. For instance, she has established a growing partnership with the Howard County government, securing allocated funding and generating interest in the center's model. This year, her essential work and continued impact were honored with an executive proclamation from Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball, who declared May 17 as Cradlerock Children's Center Day.

In addressing the critical need for affordable child care in the county, Ms. Morton brings relief to her community, supports teachers and promotes growth. These initiatives focus on the 50% of families in Howard County who struggle to find high-quality, affordable health care. For both underprivileged families and average families that get lost in the middle, Cradlerock Children's Center represents expanded opportunities.

Services Outside of Education

Through Cradlerock Children's Center, Ms. Morton offers a range of unique services and programs that extend beyond education. For example, the Innovative Health Walk program brings healthy resources back to the community, including herbalists, personal trainers and massage and stretch therapists. Additionally, Ms. Morton regularly invites doctors to talk to families so they understand the role of nutrition in a child's mood and development.

Plans for the Future of Cradlerock Children's Center

Ms. Morton has achieved a great deal at Cradlerock Children's Center, but her ambition continues to make a lasting impact in the community. Perhaps most notably, she is expanding the center from 5,100 square feet to 13,250 square feet by 2026, increasing its capacity from 87 to 141 children and employing an additional 16 teachers and apprentices. With this growth, Ms. Morton hopes to demonstrate the effectiveness of nonprofit programs supported by county initiatives over for-profit franchise models.

About Marquis Who's Who^®:

Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America^®, Marquis Who's Who^® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America^® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis^® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who^® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who