Candace Dupree (She/Her) - Executive Director

I am a true believer that love is powerfully trans-formative. It is a force capable of shaping hearts, shifting minds, growing communities, and redesigning the world. My name is Candace Dupree and for 13 of my 20-year journey in the field of Early Childhood Education, I have been a member of the GPCP community advocating for the rights of children, families, and educators with love because I believe firmly that childhood emits the purest quality of love. These beliefs shape who I am and the “why” and “how” I lead GPCP pedagogically.

My background and formative years in the field of Early Childhood Education was in the area of inclusion. Therefore, the Reggio Emilia philosophy, principles, and values embraced by GPCP created a pathway for my personal and professional missions to align, and so with determination, I intentionally sought employment and professional maturation with Grant Park Cooperative Preschool back in 2008.

Love leads and challenges me every day as Executive Director serving the Atlanta community, the ECE community, as well as my family outside of it. It instructs how I parent as a mother of four young men and one young lady and how I stand beside my husband. It influences how I walk through life with my three younger sisters and forty-four younger cousins in the footsteps of our ten aunts and uncles, parents, and grandparents before us.

I am so grateful to be immersed in my passion and standing in solidarity with colleagues and families who share the belief that our investment in the children and families we serve is an essential investment with great potential in the larger community itself. 

MELISSA FREEMAN (She/Her) - Director of operations

I was born and raised here in the heart of Atlanta. I am the middle daughter of two other wonderful women. I have been at GPCP for about 15 years now in various roles. I’ve enjoyed each, but I can say that the administrative side grants me opportunities to get to know all of the children and families which is so awesome! I am currently the Director of Operations which basically means I support the operations of the school in whatever capacity is needed. I graduated from Atlanta Technical College in 2006 with an early childhood diploma. I am still in the process of receiving my Bachelor’s Degree. 

Last, but certainly not least, I am a mother of three wonderful males. I used to say boys, but two of those boys are now men currently servicing in the Navy and Marines. My last blessing, Quinlan, is three years old and currently in the multiage classroom. Welcome to our School!!!

QIANA SUGGS - DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND Human Relations

"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." ~Pablo Picasso

I can recall, as a little girl, strategically lining my bed up with a plethora of dolls, teddy bears, and stuffed animals to create my very own “classroom.” I would spend hours at my custom-made chalkboard instructing my “students” how to spell words, identify letters and numbers, and solve math problems. At that moment I knew that educating others would always be my first love.

I have spent the last twelve years heart and mission connected to the GPCP community, in several capacities. My journey started here with educating the youngest group of children to the oldest group of children and later transitioned into Director of the Cabbagetown Campus. I am also an alumni parent of the school and truly value the ways in which GPCP has shaped me personally and professionally. After spending the last couple of years invested in change, I am excited to take on a new role this year as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I am passionate about building “bridges” and not barriers, as we continue to advance our diversity, equity and & inclusion efforts within the realms of racial, social, sexual, and gender diversity. It is my strong foundation from GPCP that propels my advocacy for ALL children.

Casey Wilson (She/Her) - administrative assistant

My name is Casey Wilson. I was born in Los Angeles, CA, but I have lived in Atlanta, GA since I was six years old. I graduated from Henry W. Grady High School in 2021 and I am currently enrolled at Georgia State University as an accounting major.

I started at GPCP in 2022 as a Ladybugs Summer Educator and then I became a substitute teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. In May of 2023, I was offered the position of the new administrative assistant. I was so excited to rejoin the GPCP community and be a part of it full-time.

As one of the youngest employees, I know I have a lot to learn about the world. I am lucky to have the help of the administrative team and the educators. I enjoy reading, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. My goal at GPCP is to improve the work lives of my teammates and help increase the organization of the school.